


A different story

by lovingmydreams



Series: Happy beginnings [1]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M, Implied Sexual Content, Not A Lot Of Plot, Nothing explicit, Some surprise plot in between though, captainswan - Freeform, mostly just cute sweet family bonding, side piece to a bigger story
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-18
Updated: 2020-04-26
Packaged: 2020-12-22 17:40:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 41
Words: 51,072
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21080483
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lovingmydreams/pseuds/lovingmydreams
Summary: The final battle is won and the story is over.Emma is more than ready to get started on a new chapter in her life with her new husband and the rest of their family.But Henry just can't stop wondering if there was another path for his family. And when he starts writing just that, he simply has to let everyone know.What will be different? Are certain things just meant to go a certain way? And what obstacles does Emma encounter before she can finally let go of the past and relax?





	1. A different book?

A different story

Saturday December 6th 2014

A different book?

As the sun crept through a gap in the drapes Emma slowly woke up from the first peaceful night’s sleep she’s had since… Well since Gold had brought the queens of darkness to Storybrooke.  
After that there was always one threat after another. First the author, then their adventure in Camelot, trying and failing to save Killian from her mistake, the trip to the underworld, almost immediately followed by the arrival of the people from the land of untold stories and the evil queen. And finally, Gideon and the Black Fairy. But now everything was at peace.  
She had avoided her fate, married Killian, won the final battle and all was right in the world.  
Movement behind her made her smile. Killian had turned towards her and was throwing his arms around her to pull her closer. His body was now pressed against her back, his face nuzzled against the base of her neck. He let out a content sigh in his sleep as his arm carefully pulled her just a little tighter.  
She loved how gentle he was with her despite the rogue pirate image he still stood by.  
From the ‘Emma’ button on his phone, to the way he holds her at the end of a long day. She loved every bit of her goofy pirate captain.  
She glanced at the clock. It was only eight in the morning on a Saturday. Her dad had promised to look after the station today. She wasn’t going to complain.  
And she wasn’t going to get up, not if it meant waking Killian. It’d been just as stressful for him as it had been for her, maybe more so.  
As she was on the verge of thinking of all they had been trough and how insane it was that he’d still chosen to be with her for the rest of their lives, she heard him groan as the morning sun was coaxing him away from his dreams.  
Emma managed not to laugh. She was so happy that they never had to be apart again. Or at least not until the next threat, and even then they’d find a way to be together.  
For now, they could just enjoy these little moments. Monsters and curses would probably show up again sooner or later, but not today.  
Today… Today they should plan for their honeymoon. She smiled as she thought of that. If Hook did wake up now, they could get a head start…  
“Hmmm,” he sighed as if he’d heard her thoughts. “Mrs. Jones?” he asked drowsily. It was the first time he’d called her that and she liked it.  
“Yes captain?” she sighed blissfully.  
“Oh thank the heavens. I was certain I’d dreamt the past few years.” Emma chuckled at that.  
“You know what else wasn’t a dream?” she whispered.  
“What’s that?” She could hear a smirk in his voice, his mind clearly going to similar places hers had.  
She turned around to face him.  
“I recall a certain pirate talking a big game about not needing anything other than a bed on our honeymoon…” she started, referring to his joke late last night. When she was listing places she’d always wanted to visit, he had assured her that the destination wouldn’t matter because he wasn’t planning on letting her stray far from their bed. Killian got that gleam in his eyes that made her feel like she was a teenager again.  
He smiled her favorite toothy grin as he raised his eyebrows in a way that said ‘go on.’  
Before she could though there was a loud knocking at their front door. It sounded urgent and was immediately followed by the bell, several times.  
“Is there a new curse or something?” Killian groaned, sounding annoyed as he let his head fall into her shoulder with frustration.  
How had it come to the point where world ending events were a mere inconvenience to them?  
“Perhaps,” Emma sighed.  
“Alright. Then the savior better answer,” he sighed as he gave her a kiss before getting up and walking to the bathroom to freshen up for the day.  
“If it’s not life or death, blast them to the town line and come back here! We are not done with our conversation,” he called after her as she hastily pulled on a tank top and some pants. She also grabbed her gun and holster, in case they were looking for a sheriff instead of a savior.  
“This better be good!” she warned as she attached her holster to her hip and opened the door.  
“Henry?” she asked perplexed, pausing in the middle of holstering her gun. He’d told her he’d be focusing on finishing school and studying Merlin’s manuscripts. What could he have found in the mansion that would bring him here at this hour?  
“Mom, I found something amazing!” He was gasping for air as if he’d ran the whole way.  
When she saw that his bicycle was nowhere to be seen she realized that this was exactly what had happened.  
“Henry? What brings you here lad?” Hook asked as he joined Emma at the door, hugging her from behind. “French toast for breakfast?” he suggested, she’d given him some cookbooks after the ‘pirate breakfast’ Henry told her about. He kissed her temple after she nodded her agreement before returning his attention to his stepson.  
“Sorry, I should’ve known you’d be trying to sleep in after the last few weeks. I just got excited. You all have to come to the mansion at noon. I promise it’ll be worth it.” And off he was again.  
Emma and Hook exchanged a confused glance.  
“I suppose we better do as the lad said… Coffee?” He was her hero.  
“Yes please,” she agreed.  
They had a pleasant morning and Hook made good on his promise to finish their conversation. Several times.  
At noon Emma and Killian greeted her parents, Regina, her little brother, Zelena and Robbin outside the mansion. “Is this everyone?” she asked.  
“I think so,” her father mused. As he looked around.  
“Well, now it is.” Came a familiar voice from behind them.  
They turned around and saw it was Gold, Belle and baby Gideon.  
On instinct Killian stepped in front of her to protect her. Even though he knew that when it came to the dark one, Emma was better equipped to fight him than he was.  
David had stepped in front of Snow and had one hand reaching for Emma. Snow had her son pressed closer to her chest and her eyes darted between her husband and her daughter. Regina and Zelena were shielding Robyn.  
“Guys, Gideon is back to being a baby, and Gold is officially a good guy now. Neither are here to hurt any of us. Right Belle?” Emma chuckled as she gently grabbed Killian’s hand to calm him down. The effect was immediate. He relaxed and looked back at her with a sheepish, apologetic smile.  
Emma stepped closer and smiled at him as she laid her free hand on his shoulder.  
His response was understandable. They’d both been pawns in the schemes of the dark one, or someone related to him, so often now that it was almost foolish not to be on their guard. But Emma could tell that Gold had embraced his birthright as a hero.  
“Of course not,” Belle assured them all.  
“Like the savior said. I have turned a new leave… Finally,” Gold assured them with a hesitant smile. Not quite used to being genuinely good yet.  
“Henry came running by my shop this morning and invited us to this family gathering, so here we are,” Gold explained as he held up his hands in surrender, seeing that not everyone was assured.  
At this the rest of Emma’s family relaxed. It was clear that this new status quo would take some getting used to. “You’re here!” Henry exclaims excitedly as he runs up to the gate and opens it.  
“Come on! We need to get to the reading room.” Well that was new.  
“The what?” Emma asked baffled as she was pulled along by her son.  
“It’s a special room where you’re protected from dark magic. Where we can read in peace.”  
“Read what?” Regina pressed.  
“You’ll see!” Henry grinned as he led them up the stairs and trough hallway after hallway until, finally they came to a halt in a decent sized room. There was a large window in the wall on the other side of the door and a skylight above that showed the sunny day outside. Alongside the window was a big comfortable armchair and on the floor surrounding it were soft pillows and around those comfortable couches and love seats and the like.  
“Take a seat wherever you like,” Henry insisted as he took place in the armchair.  
They all split up in pairs and each took a couch.  
“So this morning I woke up earlier than I’m used to, the pen just begging me to pick it up and start writing, so I did. And when I was done…” he picked up a book that looked exactly like their storybook but the title seemed different somehow. Just enough to see that it wasn’t their book.  
“You wrote an entire book? Just this morning?” Regina gasped.  
“It’s not finished, but I have a few chapters ready yeah.” He opened it to first show them the many empty pages and then the last page he’d illustrated. It was a picture of Robbin hood riding away from Snow and Charming’s castle as Regina waved him off, dressed in a dark blue gown, with a four year old Roland at her side.  
“But… That never happened…” Snow whispered.  
“Not in our version of the story. But ever since you guys told me about the wish realm I started wondering about alternate timelines. Not the wish realm, because I just can’t approve of a story where my moms aren’t happy.” Emma and Regina smiled fondly at their boy.  
“But this is, I think, what would’ve happened if mom got redeemed before Emma was born.”  
Everyone looked at one another.  
“Lad, did you write a whole other realm in existence? Wasn’t that against the rules?” Killian asked confused.  
“No. I didn’t make it up. I just… Tapped into it. This realm always existed.  
It’s like… Well in this world there is a man, Stephen Hawking. He thinks that every reality you can think of really exists alongside one another. Infinite possibilities for this world as a whole, for every individual person living in it.  
The same applies to realms of story. Just because you guys lived the story in our book, doesn’t mean that it’s the only story that can be told. The wish basically created a copy of one of those already existing realms, but put our Emma in it, instead of the original Emma of that reality. And I think it got intertwined with a realm of story that already was there, because no wish is powerful enough to create an entire world. It’s a big mess to be honest. But I’m pretty sure there is a version out there of the wish realm, where our Regina didn’t… change things up,” he finished.  
“You mean where I didn’t make a big mess of things?” Regina jested. Though part of her really felt bad about it all. She kept telling herself that she didn’t really kill anyone there, but to the inhabitants of that realm, their king and queen were really dead, their princess was really missing and the dark one really out of his cage and on a war path. She took a deep breath and put those thoughts aside.  
Henry smiled sadly at her, not sure what to say to make her feel better.  
“You were doing what you could to wake me Regina. I’m as much at fault as anyone.  
I could’ve made sure the realm was at peace when we left. As their princess, that was my duty. But I chose my duty to my family in storybrook over my family in the wish realm…” Emma trailed off. There were moments when Princess Emma seemed closer to the surface than others. Today was one of them. And suddenly she felt sad and homesick for the world she now knew so well, the people she remembered growing up with even if she knew that it was never real.  
She leaned closer to Killian to remind herself of who she was. Not a princes, a savior.  
A wife, a sheriff, a co-parent. She knew how to fire a gun and wield a sword. She had learned how to sail, gone on countless adventures. She preferred pants over dresses, except for formal events and dates. When someone came after her family she fought with all she had. This was home.  
Killian looked down on her with worry. They never really talked about the wish realm. That adventure had been followed by the first fight with Gideon and then the whole mess that was their engagement. But he probably should have talked to her about it. Compared to everything else it just hadn’t seemed like the most urgent matter to deal with. And she’d never before indicated that it had left much of an impression. Beyond him apparently being different there.  
Noticing his distress Emma smiled up at him and whispered: “When we’re home.”  
This made him smile a little, happy that he could trust that she would open up about it with him.  
Henry cleared his throat, nervous now. They hadn’t even started yet and he’d already managed to upset both his mothers and worry his stepdad.  
“I thought I could read it to you all as it goes.” Emma cheered up at that and nodded eagerly.  
“That sounds great! I’m curious. Though I’d hate to find that Elsa stays stuck in that stupid urn for eternity just because in we never went back in time to get locked in the vault and free her.”  
Killian shifted a bit uncomfortably behind her. “Do we want to know though? I mean… I’m not eager to find out what becomes of me in a world where I didn’t get put on pause by the curse so I could meet you at the right time. So you could convince me to be a part of something. Preferably without Neverland adding another 28 years to my madness.” His voice was slightly pained as he recalled the never ending pain he felt at the time. Was that version of him doomed to endure that feeling for the rest of eternity?  
Emma squeezed his hand. “Maybe we’ll find each other anyway?” she whispered.  
“Don’t forget dearie, the pirate was never your first love,” Gold interjected. Clearly intrigued by the thought of another course of events that hopefully brought a better life for Beafire in the long run.  
If the price for that was his old enemy’s happiness… Well he wasn’t going to complain too much.  
“And I wasn’t his,” Emma argued. “But maybe in this new world… But then…” she corrected herself as she realized what it would mean if she never fell in love with Neal first.  
“Henry wouldn’t be born,” Regina finished. No alternate life was worth not having Henry in her life.  
“There’s no point speculating until we’ve seen how the story plays out,” David interjected.  
“Yeah. And if any of you decide you don’t want to hear any more you don’t have to stay, or come back. I won’t hold it against you… Happy endings might actually be harder to read than sad ones,” Henry told them regretfully.  
“What do you mean?” Zelena asked rocking Robyn gently.  
“Well, by example, what if the Zelena in this story doesn’t have to lose Hades? Or what if she gets to have a relationship with Cora?” Zelena let it sink in. “I still want to know,” she decided.  
Henry nodded and continued around the room. “Mom?” He asked Regina.  
“It looks like you meet Robbin a lot sooner in this version of the story. Are you okay hearing about this?” he asked carefully.  
“If there is any world where we got to spend more time together, I want to know,” she assures him, allowing her sister to give her a sideways hug.  
“I’ll wait and see if I’m even in this story before I make my judgement,” Killian stated, hugging his wife closer. He had already made up his mind though. He would bear with it all and stick by her side.  
Even if he had to hear about her happiness with someone else. He’d learned to be noble enough to want for her happiness more than for her happiness with him. He had on multiple occasions accepted his death as long as it meant her happiness or safety.  
Still he knew that his old self would fight tooth and nail to be with her, even if she chose another. He’d never force himself upon her, but he would do whatever it took to make her his in mind, body and soul once he’d tasted the light she could bring in his life.  
He hoped this alternate version of himself wouldn’t do anything stupid, but if he did, he wanted to be there to defend himself if needed. Not against Emma, she wouldn’t hold these things against him, but he was sure the crocodile wouldn’t hesitate to question what kind of man he was if his other self acted in a less than honorable manner. His old enemy may have turned to the light, but that didn’t mean that their history was fully left in the past. And, at least on his part, the recent betrayal wasn’t fully forgiven. Whatever the crocodile did, Killian would never get his wedding day back. It should’ve been a day of celebration and happiness. Thanks to him most of it had been spent trying to survive long enough to say ‘I do’. While the ceremony itself had been nothing short of perfect, he still whished he could’ve taken his wife home at the end of the day. Carried her inside and showered her with love and affection. Instead she was forced to forget all about their love, their vows, their future. “Let’s do this,” Emma said, scooting closer to her husband, bringing him back to the here and now.  
Snow and David nodded eagerly.  
The wish realm, from what little they’d heard, had already sounded pretty close to all their dreams come true, it just didn’t feel right.  
Like everyone was a hollow, empty version of themselves. Robin without his honor, Hook without his passion, Henry without his belief.  
No, that realm wasn’t real. It was twisted and morphed to make sure their daughter would have nothing of what made her a savior. But the world their grandson had written about was different. This one would show Emma everything they’d wanted to give her. A loving home.  
“Well this should be interesting. Will the heroes manage not to get jealous of their alternate selves?” Gold speculated.  
“Who knows? But you do realize that you count as one of us now right?” Emma countered.  
Gold paused for a moment. Emma was right. He had changed after all. Finally worthy of being Belle’s husband and Gideon’s father. Would his alternate self succeed sooner, or would he fail miserably? Did he live in the only version of reality where he became a genuine hero at the end of the story?  
“I know you’ll do the right thing in the end. It’s who you were meant to be,” Belle stated firmly.  
“Okay, so everyone is ready for the first part?” Henry asked nervously.  
A collective nod. Henry took a deep breath and opened on the first page. It showed a picture of Regina in a cell, wearing her hair down and dressed in simple clothes.  
“I remember that. That was my test. When you put that spell on me to keep me from hurting you.”  
“This is where you are going to make a different choice that’ll change everything.”  
He took another deep breath and started reading.  
“Long live Regina: Regina’s test.”

[Princess Emma collection I chapter I](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21096764/chapters/50196179)


	2. First Impressions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first chapter is finished and our heroes discuss this new world and the alternate past versions of each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Link to the first chapter of "Princess Emma" for those who haven't read it yet can be found at the top of the chapter. Enjoy.

[Princes Emma Collection I chapter I](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21096764/chapters/50196179)

_Saturday December 6th 2014_

## First Impression

Everyone listened with rapt attention to the story.  
It was actually kind of fun to listen to this early stage of Regina trying to turn her life around. Especially since their lives didn’t depend on whether she succeeded or not, though they were still rooting for her alternate self to succeed.  
Rumpel was tense once the plight Belle had found herself in because he had been too stubborn to let her love him was brought up. He hugged his wife close as he apologized for his former selves’ idiocy. She just smiled and glanced down at their son to show him that it was all in the past now and they were happy where they ended up.  
Regina felt a tear escape as Henry read about his adoptive grandfather and namesake. Maybe, in this world her father got to pass on in peace, without regrets.  
Emma and Killian were just enjoying the ride so long as neither of them were mentioned.  
Soon enough both would be faced with their new lives. For better or worse.  
“So?” Henry asked tentatively.  
“Well it sounds pretty good so far,” David told his grandson. Though he hoped his alternate self would start going by his real name soon. James’ name brought back painful memories of failure. His wife leaned in closer in an attempt to offer silent support without alerting their grandson to his distress.  
“It’s funny to hear you do the voices… I don’t really sound like that though do I?” Snow asked her family, referring to the delicate high voice her grandson had used to read her lines, only to be met with laughter and no real response.  
“I like that you take all this initiative Regina. That’s the bad ass queen I’ve come to know and love,” Emma teased her co-parent. Regina just bowed her head, gracefully accepting the praise.  
“She isn’t kidding though. I’m sure she is really thinking of ways to turn on the Charming’s every five minutes. She’s just not acting on them,” she warned.  
“Little known secret Regina, most people have to suppress the urge to punch someone’s lights out every once in a while. It’s not acting on those urges that makes the difference between a good person and a bad one, not whether or not you have them. In fact I think you’re stronger if you have these urges than if you don’t,” Emma assured her, which made Regina smile proudly. She had a point.  
“I must say lad, I quite enjoy everyone ganging up on a still evil crocodile.  
I always thought you were too lenient with him in the past,” Killian jested casually, glancing at the man in question to indicate he meant no real offence.  
They would never be the closest of friends, too much had happened and some wrongs could not be undone or forgotten. Still he thought it best not to antagonize the man enough to go back to being archenemies. He could go the rest of his life without any more schemes from either of them.  
Gold just shrugged. It was a mild jab compared to the looks he still got on a daily basis. Every single inhabitant of Storybrooke had been hurt by him in one way or another. Emma might be eager to retire the Warhammer so she could go on with her life, but that didn’t mean everyone else was ready to leave the past behind them. He would probably be confronted with his mistakes on the regular.  
Who knows, maybe this book could give him some ideas on how to make up for them.  
“Keep reading. I can’t wait to see how the realm looks like in a time of peace,” Snow insisted.  
“I have to be honest it will be quite entertaining to see Evil Queen Regina try to fit in with you lot. I didn’t really get to see the early stages of redemption in our reality,” Zelena smirked. Which caused her sister to send her a mock glare.  
“Alright. On to the next chapter then,” Henry smiled. Getting more confident due to the fairly positive reactions so far. Maybe this would be as fun as he’d initially hoped after all.  
He turned the page and read:  
"[Changing Course](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21096764/chapters/50333939)..."


	3. Hopefull Wishes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The cast is confronted with their own past and this story's future.

[Princess Emma Collection 1 Chapter 2](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21096764/chapters/50333939)

_Saturday December 6th 2014_

Hopeful wishes

  
Gold sighed deeply in regret as he let his head fall into his hands.  
“I’m sorry Belle. It seems my past self will take quite some time to learn to be a hero, just like I did.” Belle rubbed soothing circles on his back.  
“You had the cards stacked against you. Your mother severed your fate,” she reminded him.  
He smiled regretfully. He doubted if it was a good excuse for the many bad choices he’d made. Especially since he couldn’t regret them as they had brought him to her.  
“Well love. If that crocodile’s vision is true, then you won’t have to worry. You and Baelfire will meet, Henry will be born.” He smiled at her as he pushed down the jealousy he couldn’t help but feel towards her first love. Tonight he would be the one to fall asleep by her side. And no matter what happened in this story he would have to keep reminding himself of that. He’d just hoped not to be confronted with Bae’s roll in her life this early in the story. Emma wasn’t even born yet! It was rather confrontational to know that fate itself willed them to meet.  
Emma turned his face towards hers and looked at him, trying to convey her feelings for him in any way she could while in company.  
He smiled. “It’s fine luv. The world would be lesser off if your boy wasn’t in it. I wouldn’t trade his life for anything, least of all my own ego,” he assured her.  
Henry shifted uncomfortable. “Should we take a break…?”  
“Nonsense!” Killian argued.  
“It’s fine kid. Go on. I kind of want to know how they save Jefferson.” No matter their… complicated history, she felt bad for the poor guy. After reading his story she couldn’t blame him for going mad.  
Snow was biting away what she wanted to say. She just wanted to hear about Emma’s childhood. Anything. She wanted to hear about her alternate self singing her a lullaby, braiding her hair. But she didn’t want to let on how desperate she was for those things. Because while she longed to hear them, she was afraid that it would hurt Emma to hear about a version of herself getting the love of a family she herself had been denied for so long.  
David was eager as well. He hoped that the book would show Emma how precious he thought she was. How completely he had adored her from the moment he first heard she was on her way.  
He wanted her to understand how loved she was. And since he would never find the words to convey it, he would have to trust that his grandson had managed to write it down for him.  
“Alright.” Henry announced. “Here goes. [A clean slate](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21096764/chapters/50427830)...”


	4. Embarrassement

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Well... Apparently our heroes are a bunch of preteens...  
You'll see what I mean.

**A different story**

_ [Princess Emma: Collection I chapter III](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21096764/chapters/50427830) _

_Saturday December 6th 2014_

** Embarrassment **

Henry sighed in relief. The chapter had taken much longer to get trough than necessary.  
Aside from the usual cooing, chuckling and playfully accusing stares at loved ones for their counterpart’s actions, there had been a couple of tough spots.  
First it had been… hard, to get through Snow and Regina’s one on one bonding time. One part specifically. The loud laughing of his audience and embarrassed stammering from his grandparents had both given him the excuse to take a little longer and made it worse.  
On top of that the ending had been a big mess.  
When it came to the coronation ceremony his audience hadn’t been able to contain themselves for some reason. They applauded and cheered when he read Regina’s reintroduction, after her small ‘hope’ speech, and every time the alternate version of his grandmother vowed ‘I will’.  
When the crowd in the story started cheering for their new queen Killian had jumped up and approached his mother in law. David, sensing what the pirate captain was planning, picked up Neal and handed him to Regina before helping his son in law with hoist their Snow White on their shoulders, carry her around the room and shout “Hail to the queen!”  
Soon they were joined by everyone else. Not stopping until the two men grew tired and had to put Snow down.  
Henry managed to get through the proposal with only some coos and cheers from his audience. He had the idea that this was to purposefully mess with him, or maybe it was because everyone was still in a jubilant mood from the coronation.  
“Way to stick it to your mom Regina,” Emma praised, feeling like the former evil queen was still the star of the show and deserved some pats on the back. Regina smiled sadly. She was glad her other self got to vent. But she hoped that there would come a time when the two would reconcile in this new story, hopefully before either of them became a resident of that story’s Underbrooke.  
“Hey, maybe now she’ll wake up and smell the roses?” Emma suggested, seeing the mayor’s distress. Regina smiled at that. Perhaps…  
“What a rollercoaster,” Zelena summarized the general feel of the chapter looking at her sister in concern. Her newfound empathy had let her view her sister’s life trough different eyes and made her realize that while she’d had comfort and power thrown at her feet, Regina’s life had been as void of love as hers. And this story seemed to drive that point home even more.  
“You can say that again luv,” Hook agreed. He’d dealt with the queen of hearts up close and personal and the woman had terrified him, even if he hadn’t been willing to show it. He’d honestly been relieved another option had presented itself when Emma and Snow crossed his path. Even if Emma had been less than impressed with his cover story. He’d been awestruck at her confidence and courage, even when she was threatening his life. He sometimes wondered how different their story might’ve gone if he’d managed to win her over just a little bit more, if she’d trusted him enough to take him with her down the beanstalk…  
On his end he knew that his mild attraction to the woman from the strange world would’ve turned into a burning desire by the time they’d left the Enchanted Forest, perhaps he’d even fallen for her completely by that time.  
And maybe, just maybe she would’ve let her guard down around him just a little bit as well.  
If he could wish for anything to come from this story, it would be to see his wife grow up without the heartbreak that caused her to put on her armor in the first place.  
He turned to her to give her a kiss, but saw that she was thinking of something else.  
“Emma?” he coaxed her gently. She sat up as she heard her name. When she looked back at him he could see she had an idea. “Yes?” she replied casually.  
“Out with it luv, what were you cooking up just now?” he asked getting everyone’s attention.  
“Well…” she started with a small smile. “As much as I’d love to see how Henry would do a captain hook voice…” everyone laughed at that. Henry’s Rumpelstiltskin had been hard to listen to without laughing, especially since he had never heard how his grandfather talked when in the Enchanted Forest and could only go off of how the book described it.  
Just the thought of him trying to recreate Hook’s voice…  
Killian paled at the very thought. He had seen how pirates talked in this world’s children’s programming. He did not want to be portrayed like that.  
“I figured that as the characters start adding up it’ll be harder and harder for Henry to do different voices for each of them. Not to mention watching him blush trough Regina almost having ‘the talk’ with my mother... I nearly had a stroke listening to it. I’m not putting him through reading any more of that stuff. He should have the choice to cover his ears at those parts, like the rest of us. So…” she got up and scanned the book cases that lined the back wall.  
“Here!” she said triumphantly as she used magic to poof one of the books to her hands.  
“Narrative spells, figured there’d be a book on those in a reading room,” she told the others triumphantly.  
“There are enough narrative spells to fill a book?” Hook asked perplexed.  
“Well, spell books are usually more notes on research and drawings of the process behind the spells than actual separate spells themselves. That way, you give other sorcerers the opportunity to modify them to their own tastes…” she explained as she looked for the spell she needed.  
“Got it!” she exclaimed. “Regina give me a hand?” she asked.  
“Gladly.” The two women read through the spell’s instructions together and had a short hushed conversation before nodding their approval of the plan. They waved their hands in a complicated pattern, the air between them glowing with their signature magical energies, and whispered to themselves. After a while they smiled satisfied and sat back down.  
“Go on kid, press play,” Emma encouraged her son.  
He went back a few pages and tapped the text, like he would his phone.  
“It’s not as bad as it seems dearie,”  
“Bloody hell!” Killian exclaimed as his old enemy’s voice drifted trough the room without anyone saying anything.  
Rumple tells her casually as he returns to his spinning.  
“Is that? Is that Merlin?” Henry asked his mothers in astonishment.  
“How?” she asks as she leans against the dinner table.  
“Well. You can’t hurt them in this world. In another world though…” he looks at her and smiles wickedly.  
“Now that’s a different story isn’t it?”  
Henry tapped the page again, putting a stop to the reading. Everyone stared at the book in awe.  
“Try the coronation scene now,” Emma encouraged her son. He went back to the last chapter they’d read and pressed. The drawing of Regina putting a crown on Snow’s head appeared in the air so everyone could see it. While the narration described the reaction of the crowd they could hear it faintly in the distance. Another tap and it all fell silent.  
“Wow,” Henry breathed.  
“Every character has their real voice, and I thought that having the story narrated by Merlin made some sort of sense? Since he created the pen. But if you want I can still change it to someone else. If you wanted it to be narrated by yourself, or maybe you want obi one…” Emma suggested.  
“No, mom it’s perfect,” he smiled.  
“Good to know. So, lay it down and press start on the next chapter. Sit down, relax and enjoy your hard work.” Henry grinned and did as he was told. He laid down the book and tapped before pulling up a lounge chair between the couches occupied by his mothers.  
The voice of Merlin drifted through the air. “[A charming family](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21096764/chapters/50614973)…”


	5. Excitement

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a heartwarming chapter, our fairytale family wraps up their first afternoon reading.

A different story

[Princess Emma: Collection I Chapter IV](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21096764/chapters/50614973)

_Saturday December 6th 2014_

Excitement

The picture of Snow and Charming holding baby Emma, surrounded by smaller drawings of the mentioned people celebrating the princess’s birth hung in the air for a few moments after the last words died out and then faded away. Everyone waited for a few seconds, but nothing else came.  
“Well I didn’t expect to get mentioned quite this soon,” Killian smirked, hopeful that this meant that he played a part in Emma’s life.  
“Who knows? Maybe, when I’m all grown up king George hires you to kidnap me?” Emma suggest.  
“Ay, I see it now. A dastardly pirate luring the crown princess aboard his ship. Planning to exchange her for a chance at his revenge. What he doesn’t expect is that the princess is fierce and won’t be anyone’s prisoner, and thus the pirate falls in love with a woman far above his station. Now he must choose. Love, or vengeance,” he grinned in a low voice. Which earned him a playful push. And to be fair that was all he could expect in polite company.  
“For a pirate you are a hopeless romantic,” she teased.  
“If that’s a crime then arrest me,” he dared her.  
“Aw…” Snow cooed, reminding the two that this wasn’t the time to flirt. Emma looked up, embarrassed, and saw that both her parents held unshed tears in their eyes. Truth be told she had been quite nervous about this. To read about how excited her parents were to have her. And now there would be many years of happy memories to read about. Memories they never got to make.  
“Mom, Dad…” she didn’t know what to say, so she got up, walked over and hugged them.  
“We love you so much Emma. And we wouldn’t change anything about you. But we wanted so much better for you than the life you had,” her mother breathed in her shoulder.  
“My precious princess… You never knew how special you were. I know you don’t think of yourself like that and you don’t have to. But you will always be my princess,” her father whispered against her hair.  
“I know… I can’t explain it right, but I really do,” she promised them. Once they were ready to let go, Emma went back to her husband’s side and leaned into him.  
“I…” Gold started, causing everyone to turn to him. They’d never heard him sound… vulnerable.  
“I’m sorry. I was so… obsessed by making things right with my son… I brought all this misery into your lives. And to see that maybe there was another way… One with much less heartbreak it seems… I wish I’d known,” he sighed.  
“It’s in the past,” Emma assured him.  
“You are really trying now, everyone can see that. And though I’ll never forget what you did…” she tightened her hand around Killian’s, thinking of how Rumpel had made his sacrifice be in vain, how Killian had nearly died several times because of him.  
She took a deep breath. “But I can chose to forgive and let go.”  
Regina nodded. That was what her counterpart was doing, what had taken her much longer to learn.  
“It’s more than I deserve. I’m grateful for it though.” Rumpel didn’t miss the ‘damn straight it is’ glare Killian shot him. The pirate clearly still blamed the whole dark swan affair mostly on him. The fact that his dark one spirit was the one that had tormented both of them hadn’t helped. And even if they didn’t count that disaster, there was a whole list of ways in which he’d been responsible in nearly ruining the pirate’s second chance at a happy ending. And the most recent events transpired only a few days ago. The fact that they were all already in the same room together was a small miracle.  
“I’m just happy that everyone seems to be getting their happy endings,” Belle sighed, hoping to change the subject.  
“So am I. Though it seems Jasmin is still going to have to find her hero and her kingdom,” Regina mused, happily taking the bait.  
“Don’t worry about that luv. The lass is made of stronger stuff than she knows. She’ll find her happy ending. Like all hero’s do.” Hook was clearly confident in this.  
“Do you suppose that it was Aladdin at the wedding?” Emma wondered as she thought of her fellow savior.  
“I’m pretty sure mom,” Henry nodded.  
“Poor guy,” she sighed. From the sounds of it Aladdin had been at the end of his rope, which means that he’d sever himself from his fate soon after the wedding. Killian pulled her close and kissed her hair.  
She looked up and with a single look he conveyed his assurance to her. Aladdin would find his happiness too. Emma should really ask for more details on his journey back to her later, after she told him about the wish realm. She smiled and kissed him in thanks.  
“Is no one going to talk about the elephant in the room?” Zelena asked.  
“Ingrid?” Regina guessed.  
“Yes! Unless I’m mistaken, the Ice Queen, was sent to this world about two years before Emma was born, which means she was there a year before your decision changed the course of fate. How does she know and more importantly how did she get back?” Zelena wondered aloud.  
“I don’t doubt she’ll be delighted to tell alternate me when she tries to convince her that she loves me. Nothing to prove your love like a tale of the perilous journey across worlds you undertook to steal your ‘sister’ from her family,” Emma assured her. Ingrid had turned her life around, and Emma still wished she didn’t have to die in order for that to happen. But threatening to have the entire population of Storybrooke kill their loved ones… That was really dark and she was still not completely over it. Sure Rumpel had clearly been willing to let any number of people die in search of his son, but he was the dark one. It was to be expected. Ingrid probably could’ve used more than a few sessions with doctor Hopper.  
“Henry are there many chapters left? Your uncle needs to eat soon,” Snow said gently after checking the time. “Two more, but we can wait for those until tomorrow. Mom’s birth feels like a good spot to take a break. Who knows maybe by tomorrow I’ll finish the book,” he suggested. His family thought it over.  
“Well I did hope to actually get planning for our honeymoon today…” Emma admitted. Killian smiled excitedly. All teasing and innuendos aside, they both had many places they wanted to share with the other. Emma wanted to introduce her husband to more of the world she’d been raised in and Killian wanted to help her experience the one she’d been born into without imminent threats hanging over their heads.  
So they would set sail on the Jolly Roger as soon as they had all their affairs in order. Tiny had gifted them two magic beans as a wedding gift. One to leave this world and one to take them back once they were ready to return home. Killian had suggested they might find other beans on their route and use those to visit other realms. It would be nice to check in with Ruby in oz by example. Or to see how Wonderland was doing without a queen of hearts to cut off their heads.  
“I should get to my rounds,” David sighed. Not looking forward to hearing Grumpy complain about the impromptu break.  
“As much as I love holding my little girl, my arms are getting tired,” Zelena mused.  
“And I have a few things I need to finish at the office after the mess the Black Fairy left behind,” Regina informed the group.  
“Let’s come back tomorrow after lunch. With everything we need to spend a few hours here,” Snow suggested.   
They all nod their agreement and bid each other an nice weekend before returning to their own lives.


	6. Serious talks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emma and Killian enjoy a quite night in while Henry is at Regina's. Though now that things are finally quiet, they have a few things to talk about.

**A different story**

_Saturday December 6th 2014_

Serious talk

“Alright, let’s get these groceries put away, and dinner started,” Emma sighed as she and Hook entered the house with arms full of grocery bags. With everything going on they hadn’t been as on top of their pantry as she would like, so they had to restock on a lot of things.  
“Ay ay, captain,” Hook joked.  
For a little while they worked in amicable silence, but by the time Emma started to cook the pasta, Killian started to get restless.  
“Everything alright?” he finally asked. Emma looked up and nodded. But she knew what he really wanted to ask. She took his hand and pulled him closer so she could embrace him.  
After a moment she let go with a deep sigh.  
“It’s a little strange you know? I mean, I know my parents are the rightful rulers of a kingdom in the enchanted forest… But reading about my birth, the way it was meant to be… It just drove home that I’m a crown princess. If not for the curse happening, my birth would’ve been a big deal. And… ever since the wishrealm, I knew that to some extent, but I never associated that with my life here. And still… You know how basically everyone calls each other by their curse names in Storybrooke?” she started while turning back to the stove to keep an eye on the pasta and the sauce. Killian nodded still feeling confused.  
“Well, to them, those people were real. Those lives were real for 28 years and, even if good things only started to happen during the last few months before the curse broke. And to me… Princess Emma was real. And sometimes… Sometimes I miss that Enchanted Forest. Part of me remembers growing up there and misses my friends and the castle and the village… It wasn’t me, and it isn’t my home so it doesn’t make sense. It’s like that person is a dream, a nice dream in some ways, and a nightmare in others. I was so helpless and scared… That isn’t who I am but… Sometimes it’s just confusing.” Emma frowned in frustration at her inability to explain herself.  
“Hey,” Killian said softly as he embraced her from behind.  
“It’s okay luv,” he assures her. She relaxes into his embrace and closes her eyes for a moment.  
“Is there something I can do?” he asks.  
“Can you give the wish realm their princess back?” she asks rhetorically. Killian tightens his hold.  
“Regina told me that the evil queen went back there, and that she had to flee because everyone thought she’d killed my parents… I really saw my parents die Killian…” she whispered, only now really allowing that fact to sink in. “And I did nothing. Even if they weren’t my real parents, at the time, they were real to me and I did nothing to save them.” She wiped at the tears that had flown over as the guilt suddenly came down on her.  
“I left my son alone there and worst is, I don’t know if I’m even be able to go back to fix it. To explain it to him… He was fourteen and now he has to rule a kingdom and he must feel so angry and alone and sad…” Killian turned her around and let her cry against his chest as he held her tight, gently stroking her hair. Soon however, the pasta started to boil over, distracting Emma from her breakdown. She turned off the stove and started to put their dinner on the table, but Killian grabbed her hand to stop her. She looked up at him, knowing he wanted to finish their conversation.  
“We’ll find a way to help them Emma. If it’s important to you then I won’t rest until we find our way there and save them. If you want, we’ll leave right away.” Killian promised.  
“But you can’t fault yourself for everything that goes wrong in that world. The people there are sure to make their own mistakes and they’ll have to find their own way to fix those. It’s their world to save after all,” he whispered gently.  
“And whenever you feel like you lose track of who you are, let me know. I’ll be more than happy to remind you,” he smiled before going for a gentle kiss, Emma however had other ideas.  
After a few moments Killian chuckled and let her go. “Dinner’s getting cold love.”  
When they started to eat Emma remembered something else she’d wanted to talk about.  
“We never really talked about what happened the night you disappeared…”  
Killian looked up from his food, fork halfway to his mouth and then sat back, letting his food sit untouched for a few moments as he gathered his thoughts.  
“Well… It’s a bit of a long story,” he admitted.  
“I don’t need to go to bed anytime soon…” Her father had promised her she could take the weekend off, even Grumpy had stopped them in the store and warned her not to come back to work tomorrow. Apparently the town didn’t need her to babysit them 24/7.  
Which she started to learn was his way of showing he cared. She probably would stop by the station after Storytime though, just to see if nothing had been burned down.  
“Alright,” Killian sighed as he started eating again.  
“After I talked to your mother I went to tell Nemo that I wouldn’t be leaving you behind. That I’d fight for my happiness and would do whatever it took to earn your forgiveness and get my ring back on your hand.” Emma smiled at that, feeling bad that she ever doubted him. Killian would never leave without a fight, it was against his nature. He was too stubborn, to passionate to let go of what he wanted, unless there was something he wanted even more.  
“But just as I said my goodbyes to him and Liam, Gideon started the submarine. He told me that he needed me away for what was to come. Which, as you can imagine, made me all the more desperate to get back to you.”  
He told her of the plan to catch a Kraken and how he’d had to let one go in order to save Aladdin and Jasmin, how they’d traveled to a remote island to find Jafar. How Jasmin used a wish in order to get to the shore safely. How they’d found Ariel there and how Jasmin had saved them from the sorcerer by turning him into a stick. Emma snorted at that since it was certainly one of the more creative ways to beat a villain who wouldn’t let himself be redeemed.  
He told her where they found Agrabah and that the two lovebirds finally got together.  
He told her how he’d played Blackbeard. A bean if he won, the Jolly Roger if Black Beard beat him.  
Emma took his hand from across the table. That was the second time he traded his ship for her.  
She laughed when he explained that he’d get what he wanted either way. And how he caught the pirate in cheating. How the bean had taken them to Neverland and how Blackbeard had left him behind.  
“Black Beard of course wasn’t aware that he stranded himself on an island where he doesn’t grow older…” They both chuckled at that. This was just pure Karma. If Black Beard hadn’t been dishonest in the first place he wouldn’t be in that situation. They had finished dinner and put away the dishes and were now each bowed over their own maps and notebooks on the couch, making lists with ideas for their honeymoon.  
“Who knows? Maybe he’ll find a decent ship and a crew. Maybe the new leader of the Lost Boys will take his hand and feed it to a crocodile. Then he’ll be the captain Hook you thought you’d find in the Enchanted forest,” Hook jested.  
“What do you mean?”  
“Wax mustache and a perm,” Killian reminded her, realizing that Emma never personally met Blackbeard. “Turns out it’s awful.”  
“You have to be kidding me!” Emma snickered.  
“Aren’t you glad you got this handsome captain instead?” he pondered.  
“Very,” Emma agreed. “So? What happened next?”  
He told her about Tigerlilly’s intervention and how she’d kidnapped him. Their little argument,  
“Hook!” Emma scolded him when he told her how he’d dismissed the woman who turned out to be a former fairy. She gave him a playful smack against the shoulder with her notepad.  
“Hey, I was more worried about your upcoming battle than whatever it was that Tiger Lilly was trying to drag me into. It just so happened that we turned out to have the same goal,” he defended himself.  
He summarized their plan to free his shadow so it could get him and the wand to her and how the lost boys caught him and forced him to send his shadow off with the wand, but without him.  
“And you know the rest of the story,” he finished.  
“It’s indeed quite the story,” Emma agreed taking a sip from her wine.  
“Well, we both have many interesting tales to tell future generations. Perhaps your mother should start holding Storytime at her school, so the adults can inspire the young ones with tales of their journeys towards their happy endings… Or beginnings,” he smirked. Emma smiled back, trying not to show that when he mentioned future generations, her heart had jumped.  
Killian poured himself another glass of rum.  
“I’m telling you, you might want to cut back on those,” Emma teased ominously.  
“Am I that bad in the wish realm?”  
“Oh, you’re worse… I don’t think I can take you there if we find a way. Your ego wouldn’t survive the trip.”  
“Spry… Younger days… the other me permanently left Neverland for some reason and started to age. He didn’t get his revenge, because the dark one was still around… So why? Did he just give up? Doesn’t sound like me at all…” he pondered.  
“I’m afraid he never told me what happened,” Emma admitted. She wondered if there was something she could do to help the alternate version of her husband.  
Killian could see his wife’s eyes become distant and he scoots closer, the atlas and maps laying forgotten on the coffee table, so he could hold her while she went somewhere in her mind where he couldn’t follow.  
When she returned to him they cleaned up and went to bed. 


	7. A new day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A new day brings our curious heroes back to the mansion for a few more chapters.

**A different story**

_Sunday December 7th 2014_

A new day

When Regina woke up the next day she found that her son had already had his breakfast and left a note to tell her he’d see her at the mansion around noon. She smiled as she read the scribbled ‘love you’ at the end and then frowned.  
Part of her felt like she should talk with him about his enthusiasm for this alternate life.  
She remembered that one of the things he’d assumed would happen after the first curse was broken was that he’d get to live with his birth family in a castle and be a prince.  
Was he hoping to see his alternate self have the life he’d fantasized about?  
Or maybe he just hoped to see what it would’ve been like to be raised by Emma and Bealfire.  
Even before Henry got the storybook he’d missed having a father in his life. And if she was honest, having his birth mother.  
She sighed as she remembered how much she’d hated Emma, just for having Henry’s favor.  
Now she’d consider Emma her best friend. And it would seem, in the story Henry was writing, she’d care for her from the very beginning.  
It was all very confusing in it’s own way for her and she wasn’t sure if it would be any less confusing for Henry once they came to a point where his alternate self joined the story.  
She shook off her musings, finished her breakfast and left for the mansion.

* * *

“Why would you take her hiking in the infinite forest?” Charming asked incredulously.  
“For the adventure of course mate,” Killian grinned from the couch he and Emma had shared the day before. His wife was helping their boy fix some snacks back at their house and he was eager to tell someone about the journey he had planned. They’d decided to each plan one week of their journey as their wedding gifts to each other. And since he was determined to give Emma the exciting experience of discovering unknown lands she was bound to give him he wasn’t going to let her anywhere near his plans. Therefore he was left sharing with the other members of her extended family, hoping that none would spill the beans to her.  
“We’re long overdue for a nice, non life or death, type of adventure. Searching for rare plants, magical artefacts and hidden treasure, just because we can. Besides it’s not impossible to navigate. Especially if you have the right tools. It’s why we’ll be visiting the bazaar in Agrabah first. I know a place there where we can stock up on magic items, maybe luck out on some magic beans,” he explained.  
“Fine, but what’s with going to Barwood haven? What could you possibly seek in George’s old kingdom?” David wondered.  
“Well… It’s where I lived until I was about 10,” Killian admitted softly.  
That silenced David. Sometimes he forgot that Killian had ever been a child.  
“And why wouldn’t I take her to check out king Midas’ castle while we’re close by?” Killian changed the subject. He locked eyes with Rumpel who smiled. He had managed to find the dress and costume they’d worn as disguises to that dance. When Hook called that morning to ask, the old crocodile had even said that he could see it as his wedding gift to them. Which came as a nice surprise, one he’d made sure to mention when he arrived and found Mr. and Mrs. Gold both among the early birds. Killian felt it was only right to acknowledge when the crocodile did something right. It might encourage him to do the right thing more often.  
“It was quite the sight to see…” Charming admitted.  
“Exactly, last time we saw it, it was night and we didn’t get to enjoy taking in the sights, what with trying to get you two to meet,” he reminded the shepherd turned prince. He thought it was better not to mention too often that it had also been their first date. He sensed that it was a bit of a sensitive subject for David since he hadn’t even gotten a chance to dance with his daughter yet. Not during her first real ball, not during the one in Camelot and not on her wedding.  
“Well, you have to visit Aphrodite’s garden.” Snow suggested.  
“My mother took me there once when I was a little girl. It’s beautiful.”  
“It’s on the list luv, if for no other reason than to pick up one of cupid’s arrows, just in case we get separated.” Killian assured her. With their track record, he thought it best to pick up as many magical means of finding each other as they could.  
“If you do get to ozz, be sure to pass by the ruby mountains. They’re gorgeous and exploring the caves is an adventure for sure if that’s what you’re after,” Zelena advised. Killian wrote it down.  
“Sorry I’m late!” Henry apologized as he entered with the book, followed by his mother who brought in the snacks, prompting Killian to gather his papers and make room for his wife to sit at his side.  
Emma put down the picnic basket and smirked at him knowingly.  
“That’s alright lad, we managed to entertain ourselves,” Killian assured him, pretending not to know what Emma was smiling about.  
Henry noticed that today his audience had shrunk. He was missing two uncles and a niece.  
It seemed the parents had collectively decided to leave the youngest among them at home. Or rather at Audrey’s daycare: the pumpkinpatch. Which was reasonable. It wasn’t like the three babies could actually understand what was going on.  
“So, did you add any chapters?” David asked curiously.  
“I did,” he said as he opened the book on a page with a drawing of Killian pointing a sword at a figure on the ground and then at one of Zelena approaching a pregnant Snow and a battle ready David.  
“Oh, so we’re both in this story captain,” Zelena muttered, looking at her still wicked self.  
“Lad, please tell me that’s not an innocent I’m threatening…” Hook pleaded.  
Henry shrugged. “I haven’t read too much ahead,” he admitted.  
“Well then we better get started to find out,” Emma urged him.  
“Right.” Henry opened the book on the page they’d left it the day prior and went to sit next to Regina. She frowned in confusion.  
“I didn’t feel like sitting alone so I figured I’d switch it up from now on. You know between you, mom and grandma and grandpa.” Regina smiled and hugged her boy close while they watched the first drawing appear in the air. “[He' alive](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21096764/chapters/50671379)…”


	8. Painful memories

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a chapter that brings up many painful memories, the group tries to focus on the happy parts.

**A different story**

[Princess Emma: Collection I: Chapter IV](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21096764/chapters/50671379)

_Sunday December 7th 2014_

Painful Memories

Regina smiled sadly, hugging Henry close. It was still hard, hearing about Daniel, but she had moved on and knew that he had found peace as well.  
“Six months and already making demands Emma?” she joked in an attempt to show that it was okay to laugh about the other parts of the chapter.  
“Well this Emma is a princess, and spoiled at that it seems,” Emma smiles with a teasing glance at her parents who just gave her a small smile. Reading about the whole Daniel incident brought back bad memories for both of them as well.  
“I really hope that me won’t turn into a Disney princess though,” Emma groaned. Killian chuckled, he had seen a bit of those during a few of Henry’s many modernization lessons and it still was one of his favorite things he’d learned. Even with the highly offensive way his story was portrayed. Henry had argued that this was in fact, how Disney saw the stories unfold, maybe altered just a little to bring it to the big screen. That… man child was a version of him, if an unflattering one.  
Anyway, he could clearly envision his wife in a dress not unlike the snow white in those iterations singing with woodland critters.  
“I don’t think so Emma. They’re just starting out. And clearly Regina is starting to get involved as well. If we won’t teach you to toughen up, she will insist on doing so herself,” Snow told her daughter with certainty.  
“No goddaughter of mine will be raised to be a damsel,” Regina confirmed, though her tone of voice was just a bit to dramatic to be taken seriously.  
“Well I think it’s really cute how you two are with her,” Belle assured the two.  
“Thanks,” David smiled as he recalled the way his other self watched over his baby in the night. This was exactly the kind of thing he wanted Emma to know, but was unable to express. He hugged his wife closer and they both glanced at their daughter, delighted to see a small smile on her face as she was reminded of the sweet beginnings of the chapter.  
“I do feel bad for those two though. They sounded pretty exhausted. And right when they get to sleep full nights again, the teeth start to come out,” Emma chuckled, not wanting to go further into the warm feeling she got in her stomach as she thought of the image of her father reaching into her crib to adjust her blanket to make sure she stayed warm.  
“When you have a baby, you’ll know those sleepless nights are more than worth it,” Snow assured her daughter casually. Hook and Emma, however, turned beet red at that and couldn’t quite look at each other. They hadn’t even talked about that yet. Neither knew if the other was up for it or not. Sure Emma knew Hook loved kids, and Hook knew Emma was a great mother. Still. Both were hesitant to talk about this. Emma had been thinking about asking her mother if she still had that magic pendant, just out of curiosity. But she didn’t want her mom to make a big deal out of it. And what if once she knew what her next child would be, she would feel obligated to have them? What if Hook found out she’d asked about it and got all the wrong ideas. She didn’t even know what the right ideas were. And even ignoring all of that, she feared that if she asked her mother about it, she wouldn’t be able to contain herself and soon the whole town would assume they were already expecting. She didn’t need that kind of pressure on them.  
“It seems like it’s best we start on the next chapter,” Zelena suggested, seeing the discomfort the two lovebirds felt. At that suggestion they both relaxed considerably. They really didn’t feel like talking about this now, with this audience.  
Emma smiled at Zelena gratefully, catching the former witch of guard. She wasn’t used to her actions being appreciated yet. She put those thoughts aside and turned her attention back to her nephew.  
Henry nodded his agreement. He picked up the book and hoped that this chapter would be less sad.  
He started the story and walked over to the couch Emma and Killian were using.  
Killian immediately made room for Henry to sit in between them, which brought a smile to the young author’s face. He’d been fully prepared for his stepfather to prefer sitting next to his mother.  
Sure, he’d bonded with the pirate quite a bit and knew that Killian cared for him. But it were small gestures like this that showed him that he cared for him not just because he was his mother’s son, or even his father’s. Killian considered him his own child and he didn’t see the both of them as though they were in competition for his mother’s attention. He sat down and allowed the pirate to ruffle his hair. Emma and Killian both threw an arm around Henry’s shoulders.  
As the author settled in this position, Merlin’s voice started setting the scene as an idyllic meadow was shown, with a small family of tree enjoying the sun. “[Fate](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21096764/chapters/50786281),”


	9. The humor in hindsight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After an intense chapter the family find some humor in hindsight, and somehow the conversation spirals into talk about children.

**A different story**

[ **Princess Emma: Collection I: Chapter V** ](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21096764/chapters/50786281)

_Sunday December 7th 2014_

The humor in hindsight

Though the chapter was dark and the final battle was still fresh in their minds, the audience had been laughing and exchanging fond smiles.  
“You’ll have my saber too love,” Killian promised, hopeful that this would be true for both versions of his wife.  
“And I’m sure alternate me will help too!” Henry insisted. Emma smiled and ruffled her sons hair and gave her husband a kiss.  
“Oh, if only that Rumpelstiltskin knew what we know now Rumpel,” Belle smiles fondly and her husband.  
“I keep telling people, when you know the future, there’s Irony everywhere.”  
Everyone laughed and nodded. It was true that as long as old wounds weren’t opened, the advantage of knowing the future made even tense situations funny.  
“I wish it would’ve taken our alternate selves longer to find out about Emma’s fate. They barely got one year of carefree enjoyment out of being parents.” Snow had decided that it was better not to let anyone on to the fact that part of her had hoped that in this life, Emma didn’t have a destiny after all, despite all the signs to the contrary. She knew that being the savior is just part of who her daughter is and she wouldn’t want to change a thing. But being the savior meant there would be villains she’d have to fight and curses she’d have to break. And no decent parent would wish that for their child.  
Regina snickers. “Carefree?” she snorts incredulously.  
“You know what I mean,” Snow interjects. “I know that being a parent is never truly carefree. It’s exhausting and terrifying no matter how old the child is. The life or death, fate of the universe, battles are barely more daunting than the normal terrors. Like Emma’s first date, or Neal having a fever. But every sleepless night, every heart stopping second is worth it.” Snow looks at her daughter with unwavering pride as she says this last bit.  
Emma smiles with a small blush and looks over to her husband. Wondering if maybe one day…  
Hook doesn’t notice her stare as he’s looking down at Henry.  
“I agree, I’ve been a father for two years now and I’ve been bloody terrified of messing up for every second. But I wouldn’t trade a single moment of it for the world,” Killian vows as he ruffles trough Henry’s hair.  
“He means it,” Emma whispers to her son. Henry looks down blushing, not sure how to feel. This was a bit more direct than just making space for him on the couch or taking him fishing.  
And there were still moments where it felt like his growing fondness for Killian was a betrayal to his father.  
He knew that it was stupid and that his dad would probably be fine with Kilian of all people picking up where he’d left things. And he felt guilt for feeling guilty. He didn’t know who to talk to about it. It was even harder since he never had much time to get to know the man who so desperately wanted to get to know him. And then he hadn’t even remembered him when he died.  
It was all confusing and he was a bit afraid asking anyone about him. Hook had been the only one who’d volunteered stories. Henry smiled as he remembered that and looks back up at Killian gently nudging him in a playful manner.  
Snow and David smiled brightly at the family in front of them. Happy that their daughter had made such a loving home for herself.  
Rumpel smiled sadly and nodded his agreement. The little precious time he’d gotten with Bea was worth every second he’d spent in agony looking for him. And one look at Belle’s face told him that she would agree with him if he were to voice how delighted they were for every second they had with their son, even those spent worrying about his fate.  
“So what I meant is,” Snow rephrased her original statement.  
“One year old is much too soon to have a destiny hanging over your head,” she said regretfully. She had loved hearing about what a happy child her little girl was and how happy she and David were with her. Was that over already?  
“Mom, it’s who I am. And I’m sure that these versions of you and dad will get to fuss about plenty normal parent things. Scraped knees, playdates, first ball, first crush. Plenty of teenage temper tantrums…” She nudged her own teenager affectionately as she mentioned the last part.  
Henry groaned, “Mom!” in protest, realizing too late that he was just proving his mother’s point. The audience laughed at that.  
“Well! I suppose we better hurry and start the next chapter,” Henry hurried as he started the chapter and moved to sit between his grandparents.  
The chuckles of his family slowly died out as Merlin’s voice once again filled the room.  
[“First Happy Ending”](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21096764/chapters/50937154)


	10. Bittersweet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As the crew finishes the last chapter in the first collection, they come to a realize the complications of this newly arranged timetable the story presents them with. They won't just be facing a past that never was, but also a future that never will be.

**A different story**

[ Princess Emma: Collection I: Chapter VII  ](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21096764/chapters/50937154)

_Sunday December 7th 2014_

Bittersweet

Regina sighed contently. It was nice to hear Robin’s voice again and to listen to him falling for her, to see the drawings of them, looking so happy and in love. One day they would be together again. For now she would hold onto the memories and enjoy watching this alternate romance blossom between them.  
“Rumpel, do you think Emma really used her magic to wake David?” Belle wondered.  
“I’m almost certain Belle,” Rumpel confirmed.  
Emma’s eyes widened as she hears this. That, couldn’t be right… Right?  
“Is it bad that I want another go at dueling George?” David wondered, trying not to think too much about the fact that Emma’s magical gifts might be showing up in times of need at such a young age.  
“Actually I’d like to give him a go myself dad. How would he take being beaten by a woman?” Emma suggested, happy with the change of subject and smirking at the thought. That man had caused too many of her loved ones too much pain with no signs of regret. There was no way she would even consider setting him on the path to redemption without getting a few hits in.  
“I’ll raise you getting schooled by a teen,” Henry offered, also eager to show that man that he better not mess with this family ever again.  
“I would pay money to see either,” Hook grinned.  
“I second that,” Snow smiled, though part of her felt like she should be voting against this course of action. Then again, the man had wanted to hurt her in the worst way he could think of to punish her for loving her true love. It was hard to find it in herself to defend the man.  
“I’ll bring popcorn,” Zelena offered helpfully. Everyone laughed lighthearted, knowing they probably wouldn’t ever go that far. George was fine where he was now. And maybe one day they’d be ready to give him a second chance.  
“I’m happy you went back to your real name though. It was weird hearing people call you James all the time,” Henry said.  
“I’m happy too,” David agreed.  
“I just realized…” Emma pondered. “In this reality, Roland is older than me… And Alexandra is my age… This is going to get weird isn’t it?” She frowned as she realized that this story would really drive home how weird her normal was. Maybe it was better that she never really built connections with people in the normal world in the past. How would she introduce a normal person to this world?  
“Aye…” Hook pondered. “Since the lad has already shown us an image of Zelena targeting your brother, we know he will be born in this story as well. We might see him all grown up later in the story too.”  
David and Snow frowned as they tried to wrap their head around that information.  
“Would he even still be called Neal though?” Emma wondered.  
Before anyone could get too much of a headache thinking about those possibilities and implications, Henry picked up the book and looked at the next page with a puzzled expression.  
“Looks like that was the last chapter of the collection centered around mom’s redemption,” he observed and turned a page, curious to see what the next part was about. Then he grinned excitedly.  
“Mom! Come look.” Emma got up and took a look at the page Henry was showing her and she too starts grinning.  
“Is this what I think it is?” she snickered while casting quick glances to her family, which prompted her to chuckle again. The others looked at each other in confusion.  
“Wait I’ll alter the spell a little for this part,” she told her son before once again moving her hand and muttering to herself.  
“So, now we’ll be able to enjoy this book to its fullest.” Emma sat back down next to her husband.  
“Everyone ready?” Henry asked with a gleam in his eyes, after sitting down on one of the pillows central on the floor, giving him a good view of the book and making it easy to glance to the audience during the story.  
“We think so?” Snow said slowly.  
“Here we go!” And the story started again.  
“[The wish for a powerful magic,](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21096764/chapters/51153115)”


	11. A most amusing twist

**A different story**

[Princess Emma: Collection II: Chapter I](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21096764/chapters/51153115)

_Sunday December 7th 2014_

** A most amusing twist **

Emma and Henry were smiling amused as the others looked in awe at what had just happened.  
Not only had the book produced music for the song, it had showed the fully choreographed musical number like they were watching a video.  
“Love… Are we all in this?” Killian wondered.  
The only response he got was two amused grins. “Bloody hell.”  
“Well… That was… Something,” David managed in awe. What kind of wish was that?  
“You guys sounded good,” Emma complimented her parents.  
“Thanks sweetie… I never thought… Can we do that without wish magic?” Snow wondered aloud.  
“Maybe not the whole, choreographed duet at the drop of a hat thing, but if you practiced a song… I think you’d sound like that.” Emma told them still smiling, thinking of how much fun the next few chapters would be. Especially since her own song was short, had no dancing and was all the way at the end of the book. At least, if it played out the same way it did in their own reality.  
“It looks like you two were having fun,” Henry offered.  
“Yeah… We were, weren’t we?” David agreed slowly. His alternate self had certainly taken full advantage of the situation and pulled off some extra elaborate moves and notes.  
And while he knew it was a bit embarrassing, he kind of wanted to try it.  
“Has everyone processed the genre of the chapters?” Emma checked.  
“I think we’re good… Wait, did this happen to us as well?” Zelena realized suddenly.  
“That’s how you knew what this part was going to be like!” Regina hissed already feeling embarrassed.  
“Well, it was handy every time a villain tried to take my heart,” Emma offered helpfully.  
“Like Cora,” Snow realized, remembering how the queen of hearts had tried to tear Emma’s heart out only to be blasted away.  
“It was very annoying to know that the savior’s heart was untouchable,” Gold admitted.  
Everyone, including his wife gave him a warning glare.  
“When I was still, on my own side, it was a source of frustration,” he clarified. “Both to me and other villains.”  
“Are you saying that if it was possible you would’ve taken Emma’s heart hostage?” Killian growled.  
“I never considered it because I could tell from the beginning that there was a powerful protection charm on her. Forged from the love of all her people. Even those who didn’t know they’d ever care for her, now that I think about it.” Rumpel looked between Regina and Killian at this last statement.  
Killian couldn’t help but smile at that. He’d been in her heart from the beginning? Well wasn’t that a romantic tale to tell?  
“Alright. Everyone ready for the next chapter?” Henry asked eagerly. As fun as this discussion was, it could wait. He wanted to hear his family sing some more.  
“Ay lad. I think we’re good.” And before Killian had properly finished speaking the next chapter started.  
“[Their song doesn’t stand a chance…](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21096764/chapters/51193684)”


	12. Rock on Regina

**A different story**

[Princess Emma: Collection II: Chapter II](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21096764/chapters/51193684)

_Sunday December 7th 2014_

** Rock on Regina **

Henry and Emma were both cheering and everyone was applauding for Regina’s song.  
“I should’ve known you were more of a rock and roll person,” Emma jests.  
“Ay, the style suits you well,” Killian agreed with a cheeky grin.  
“I must say sis I’m impressed. That was quite the show you put on,” Zelena told her sister.  
“I’m just glad it wasn’t too sappy,” Regina smiled good naturedly.  
“I thought you were awesome mom,” Henry assured her.  
“Thank you.” If her son thought her song was good then that was more than enough for her.  
“I hope your alternate self will understand that no one is doubting her ability to protect the family,” Snow muttered softly. Regina’s song had held so much anger and it worried her. She didn’t think that she’d turn bad again, but maybe whatever friendship she had been building with her alternate self had taken a blow during all this.  
“Her ego is hurt a little, she’ll get over it. In the end she’ll agree that one can never have too many protection measures in place when it comes to guarding the savior’s heart,” Regina assured her.  
“Aw, Regina I didn’t know you cared so much,” Emma teased. Regina rolled her eyes, but couldn’t help a smile. It seemed like in that world, Emma held a special place in her heart and she would lie if she’d say that she wasn’t in the least bit curious how that would develop over time.  
In their world, Emma was her friend, her co mother and the biggest supporter of her happy ending, after Henry. In this new world, would she become more like a daughter to her? How would that affect their stories?  
“I loved Roland’s song,” Belle gushed, enjoying this format thoroughly.  
“He did his dear father proud,” Zelena agreed.  
“I suggest we continue?” Rumpel offered, drumming his fingers against his leg.  
Belle laid her hand on his, stopping the tic in it’s tracks.  
“Gideon will be fine for a little while longer,” she assured him, effectively guessing why he was getting so nervous. He smiled at her and took a deep breath to relax himself and redirected his attention to the book which started it’s next chapter.  
“[Wicked always wins](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21096764/chapters/51226282)…”


	13. A wicked song

**A different story**

[Princess Emma: Collection II: Chapter III](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21096764/chapters/51226282)

_Sunday December 7th 2014_

** A wicked song **

“Well sis, I don’t know what I’m more impressed by. Your song or that wicked plan,” Regina complemented. Zelena made a dramatic bow and chuckled. It was a delightful song and if she was honest, she really wanted to try singing it herself, later, when she was on her own.  
“That song was the best kind of wicked!” Henry joked earning him a smile from his aunt.  
“No offence Zelena but I hope your plan doesn’t work. Emma will need those songs,” Snow said apologetically.  
“I assume that it won’t since I probably had the same plan in our timeline and she was fine,” Zelena assured her. This allowed everyone to relax.  
“So,” David started. “Everyone here who’s old enough in the story, had a song, or expressly refused to sing, except…” All eyes turned to Killian. The pirate shifted nervously.  
“What? Afraid you won’t sound good. You sang at our wedding remember? You were great,” Emma assured him.  
“I know. But that was me when I had everything I could ever hope for. This will be me before… Well before you showed me a different path.” Emma sighed deeply as she understood what he was nervous for.  
“It’s alright. Whatever we see, it’s in the past. Technically not even your past at that.” Killian nodded.  
“I know, I know… I suppose I’ve got a mild case of stage fright,” he chuckled.  
“Well, let’s find out how you do!” Henry insists. From the moment he realized most of the people gathered would get their own song in this book he’d known that Hook’s would be his favorite.  
Nothing as fun as a pirate chanty after all.  
The book turned to the next page. “[Revenge is going to be mine](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21096764/chapters/51242383)…”


	14. A pirate's chantee

**A different story**

[Princess Emma: Collection II: Chapter IV](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21096764/chapters/51242383)

_Sunday December 7th 2014_

** A pirate's ** ** chantey **

“Well, that song is going to be stuck in my head for weeks,” Henry chuckled.  
“Mine too, and it’s about the pirate’s desire to kill me,” Gold jested, thinking it was probably best if he made a joke out of it. It was all in the past after all.  
“Killian…” David started, wanting to apologize for how rude his other self sounded.  
“He doesn’t know him, and in all fairness he was mostly right about the man I was back then,” Killian assured his father in law. “I didn’t want that man anywhere near Emma either,” he added with a wink to his wife. She chuckled as she remembered watching Killian punch his past self in the face.  
“Well, dirty pirate or not, I think you sounded great,” Emma told her husband lovingly.  
“Thanks love, though I wish I had a better song to offer your heart,” he confessed softly.  
“Well, the way I see it, it’s a song about your passion for those you love. Love and hate are close together. Your love for Millah turned to an equally strong hate for Gold. And the same passion for revenge that fueled that song, fuels our happy beginning,” she told him.  
“That is a lovely way to look at it darling,” Killian smiled lovingly. He liked seeing the Emma he’d seen behind the walls and armor out in the open. Without the burdens of her past weighing her down any longer. Now that past only served to make his wife shine brighter for the whole world to see.  
“It’s the only way I’ll ever look at it,” she assured him as she gave him a tender kiss.  
“Should it worry us that our one year old daughter took one look at the most dangerous looking man in a tavern full of pirates and decided that that was the man she wanted to be friends with?” Snow wondered. While she deeply cared for the man her daughter loved, she was fully aware of the kind of pirate he used to be.  
“Maybe it was the wish? Those songs were all in some way for me right? Maybe I could sense he had one?” Emma offered. Her parents took peace with that.  
“Sadly that was also the last song for a while,” Henry realized disappointed.  
“Doesn’t have to be, we could always have karaoke nights,” Belle jested.  
Everyone laughed, but Henry’s eyes sparked in interest and he smiled up at his mother’s expectantly.  
“Oh, no. Kid, I don’t think…”  
“Come on! We already know everyone here can sing, and I have a whole list of songs I’d love to hear you guys try. Not to mention seeing you guys have a go at your own songs when not under a spell,” Henry argued.  
“We’ll see,” Snow allowed, not opposed to the idea. It was a rather fun idea for a family bonding activity after all.  
Killian grinned and looked at his wife. “No,” she said decidedly, knowing full well where his mind was heading.  
“You shouldn’t have taught me to use the internet luv. I will find us many a song to sing together,” he promised with a dangerous grin. Emma gave him a playful push. As the family settled down again the next chapter started. “[A journey in vain?...](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21096764/chapters/51273739)”


	15. Hopeful ending

**A different story**

[Princess Emma: Collection II: Chapter V](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21096764/chapters/51273739)

_Sunday December 7th 2014_

** Hopeful ending **

“And that’s what I was babbling about after you woke up in Regina’s office before the wedding,” Emma explained as the final words died out.  
“I still can’t believe we lost an entire day without anyone noticing,” Snow muttered.  
“Did you have to give us a heart attack?” David asked Hook in good humor.  
“You were making it rather easy,” the captain chuckles.  
“Well, hopefully this is a good sign for the future of our alternate selves.” Emma squeezed her husband’s hand as she said this. She would love it if they could start out as friends right away, instead of uneasy allies. Hook smiled down at her and gave her a quick kiss.  
“Just out of curiosity what were your alternate versions going to tell the alternate me after Killian killed Rumpel if he hadn’t forgotten about the deal?” Belle wondered, a little put off by the idea that people who were supposed to be her friends had been so willing to trade Rumpel’s life for a lift. Part of her knew that she would go very far if it meant protecting Gideon, she had gone against everything she believed in to keep him safe. Still, while she understood, she was a little upset by it all.  
“They probably didn’t think that far ahead. Maybe they thought that seeing his enemy waste away in a dungeon, slowly getting consumed by madness would be enough vengeance for him?” Snow suggested.  
“It doesn’t really matter Belle,” Rumpel muttered gently.  
“I suggest we end here for today. We can’t leave the town to fend for itself for too long,” Emma suggested. She had enjoyed her time off, but she started to feel fidgety. She wanted to get back to a routine, something productive, or else maybe leave Storybrooke for a while. One or the other.  
She just wanted to get out of the house.  
“Actually Emma, Hook and I have been talking. I would like to go back to farming. Me and Snow found a lovely place at the edge of town that would be perfect. And Hook would like to get a job in town. So if you are alright with it…”David trailed off.  
“Would you be able to stand seeing me at home and at work Swan? I’d like to stick by your side whenever I can.” Killian asks gently.  
Emma smiled brightly. “I’d love to. But that means that even on our days off they’ll always come banging on our door for everything…” she warned.  
“They do that anyway,” he chuckled as he pulled her closer into his embrace. They gave each other a brief kiss.  
“Alright, argument still stands. Let’s get back to business and make sure the town didn’t burn down in our absence.” Emma told both her new co sheriff and the mayor.  
“Don’t say that! It might actually happen,” Regina jested as she got up. “Besides Sheriff Swan, you are still on mandatory leave for at least the rest of the day. You’re lucky I don’t insist you get a notice from doctor Hopper to state that you are fit for work before letting you start again. And Sheriff Charming, I expect you to at least train your replacement before resigning officially. Do I make myself clear?” Regina asked with her arms crossed over her chest, glaring at her chief law enforcers.  
“Yes madam Mayor,” Emma grinned with a salute.  
“I won’t let her get out of my sight, your majesty,” Killian assures her.  
“I suppose I can make sure my son in law can actually handle working with my daughter before I leave the town in their hands,” David muttered.  
“Hey!” the newlyweds protested, electing laughter from everyone.  
“Everyone meet back here tomorrow?” Henry asked excitedly.  
“Maybe we better keep this for the weekends kid. You do have school tomorrow,” Emma reminded him.  
Henry frowns. At this rate they’ll never get through the full story.  
“Chin up lad, isn’t it almost Christmas vacation? We’ll get a lot of reading done then, I’m sure.”  
Henry’s face brightened at that. Hook was right. In two short weeks they’d have lots of time to read.  
“So Karaoke on Friday then?” he tried again.  
“If you do well in school, we’ll talk about having a karaoke and pizza family night once every month okay?” Regina suggested.  
“Meaning that if we do this, it only happens if your grades keep doing well,” Emma confirmed.  
“Sometimes I wonder if I didn’t like it better when you didn’t agree on how to raise me,” Henry muttered, though he couldn’t help his own smirk.  
“Come on lad. Don’t you have a girlfriend to pay attention to? Tell her about this new story of yours,” Killian suggested. This made Henry a lot more eager to help clean up and leave, much to the amusement of his family.


	16. Life in Storybrooke

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just because the final battle is over doesn't mean Emma has no more battles to fight. Even if they're less monumental and life threatening.

**A different story**

_Thursday December 11th 2014_

** Life in Storybrooke **

The week held some changes for the small town of Storybrooke.  
News that sheriff Charming would leave his post to his son in law soon spread and people started gossiping. Some thought it would be great to have a team bonded by true love guard over their town. Just like how the Charmings had led them to victory during the war. Some side eyed Killian, not sure how fit a pirate was for such a position.  
“They’ve clearly never heard of the saying: it takes a thief to catch a thief,” Killian had jested when his wife voiced her frustrations. It didn’t take more than two days for Killian to prove his worth though.  
Some of his crewmates had gotten to his defense against some critics in a bar and not only did he break up the fight, he took all involved to jail to sleep off the liquor they’d consumed. The next day the news of the bar fight had barely made it’s rounds or someone reported to have seen the captain climb a tree to release a young boy’s kite.  
Both this display of impartiality and the show of kindness turned the public opinion in his favor. Add to that the fact that there were several instances of him keeping his temper in check when people were openly antagonizing him during his first few days and his reputation improved exponentially.  
After that Regina agreed that Killian was ready to officially be named sheriff, which allowed David to quit and help Snow with moving out to their farm and arrange for him to officially adopt Wilby. The loft hadn’t been fit for a pet, but their new farmhouse had more than enough room for their whole family. Including his loyal, beloved dog.  
Luckily they could count on many friends and family members to help with the move and before they knew it the last box was unpacked. They were home.  
Wilby was great with Neal and when Emma came over for the housewarming with Henry, Killian and Regina, he’d immediately taken to them. Though he’d been suspicious of Regina for a moment.  
All in all everything was finally working out for everyone. Her parents loved their new home, Regina was no longer viewed with mistrust by anyone. Henry seemed to be doing good at school and his relationship with Violet was going great as well. Killian was enjoying his new job and excelling at it, though he clearly missed the sea at times. Which was why Emma insisted on stopping by the Jolly Rogers at least once a day. Once or twice they even took her out for a late night trip around the bay. It was clear these visits to his old home did wonders for his mood.  
Which left very few problems for her to solve… Meaning there were still a few issues she had to deal with.  
Emma shot up in bed, the nightmare still clear in her mind. She looked at the clock. It was 2 in the morning on a Thursday.  
“Luv?” Killian whispered as he sat up and wrapped an arm around her waist, soothing her breathing and calming her heartbeat with his mere presence. She was safe, she was home.  
Henry was sleeping in his room down the hall. Her husband was by her side. Everything was fine.  
“Care to share?” Killian asked carefully. Emma took a deep breath and turned around so she could fully embrace him. “In a moment,” she whispered. They laid back down and cuddled for a while, Hook patiently playing with her hair as she calmed down.  
“I was locked up in the mental ward again,” she whispered.  
“Fiona was showing me terrible things in the mirror and Archie was telling me it wasn’t real. That you didn’t exist…” Killian held her tighter. He still regretted never having the chance to be of much assistance during that time. Not that he was given a choice in the matter, but still. He sought comfort in the fact that she knew that he had fought for every second they spend apart to get himself and as many of her family as he could back to her. As he always would.  
This wasn’t the first time she’d woken up from a nightmare. It seemed that now her body had rested from the strain the final battle had left on it, her dreamless nights had come to an end. And the last three nights she’d had different nightmares about her trials. First she’d dreamed about being the dark one again and killing everyone she loved with her own hands, unable to stop her own actions, no matter how badly she wanted to. Then she’d dreamed of watching Hades pushing everyone she cared about into the river of lost souls. He had no doubt that every adventure she’d ever had would make their way into her dreams at some point.  
As they had been doing in his, though he had tried not to disturb her sleep if he could help it. He had about three hundred years of experience with nightmares after all.  
Still Emma could tell when he’d had a bad dream and comforted him as best as she could.  
Whether it was about watching Emma suffer the same fate as Milah had, being tortured by Hades, or any number of other nightmare scenarios. She always held him tighter after he woke up.  
He returned his attention to his wife and the tenseness in her shoulder, the slowly calming of her breath.  
“Did you…” he started, but Emma already nodded before he could finish the thought.  
“I have an appointment at six,” she assured him. Killian smiled down at her sadly. Wishing he could do more.  
“That’s good luv. And don’t forget that you can always talk to me if you want…”  
Emma nodded. “Thank you. And sorry, for waking you up,” she whispered.  
“That’s alright luv. When I married you, I made a promise that I will always be there for you. Whether you’re fighting monsters, nightmares or a fever, I’ll always be by your side,” he assured her with a gentle kiss.  
“How’s your project going?” he asked casually, hoping that talking about something else would make the rest of the night go smoother.  
“I tracked down pretty much every family I could. I sent the emails while you and Henry made dinner.” Emma had been trying to get in contact with her old foster families in hopes of collecting some old pictures and the like to show her parents. It wasn’t the same, but she hoped that having some kind of photo album of her childhood would help. Regina had shown her some pictures of Henry growing up, and while it drove home how much she’d missed, it also made her happy to see her son in those different stages of his childhood. Happy, healthy and loved the way she’d hoped he would be when she gave him up. She wanted to give her parents something similar. Given how her mother had reacted to seeing an old recording of her, she was fairly confident they’d enjoy the result.  
“Are you nervous?” he asked. Emma shrugged.  
“Most probably don’t remember me. I ran away a lot, as you know.” She gave him a coy smile and he chuckled. Was he ever glad she’d stopped.  
“And… Well I told you that most of them didn’t even really want any kids around. Just the money that came with us. So I doubt they held onto any sentimental memento’s, but it’s still worth a try.”  
Killian pressed a kiss on the top of her head.  
“Well if they don’t have pictures I’m sure there are more than a few amusing stories they could tell your parents,” he assured her.  
She rolled her eyes and gave him a playful push before settling in his embrace. Killian noticed she was about ready to fall asleep and let her drift off in his arms.  
The rest of their night progressed without interruptions.  
Killian was extra attentive to his wife the next day, a fact that didn’t go unnoticed by Henry.  
“Is mom okay?” he asked worriedly as they cleaned up the breakfast table while Emma showered.  
Killian frowned unsure what to answer.  
“She’s had a rough couple of weeks lad. Some of these things leave scars,” he explained.  
“Are you okay?” Hook chuckled at that and patted Henry on the back.  
“I’ve lived for about three centuries lad, most of which was spend in Neverland. I have seen much worse than what even Hades could throw at me in my lifetime. There’s a reason why he couldn’t break me in his dungeons,” he assured his stepson.  
Henry frowned. “Doesn’t mean you’re okay with everything,” he insisted.  
Killian sighed as he unlocked the cabin that held the service weapons and his hook.  
He exchanged his wooden hand for his hook and holstered his fire arm. When Emma got it for him as part of his Sheriff equipment she’d put emphasis on gun safety as they went to the firing range to practice firing it (while it wasn’t quite the same as firing pistols he found he still had more than decent aim with the modern gun) and he’d decided that he should apply similar rules to swords and hooks. So within the house, he didn’t wear his hook anymore.  
“You sound like your mother.” Emma had a habit of turning his concern around on him and while he appreciated her worry, he wished she’d just let him take care of her from time to time.  
Then again he loved her because she didn’t need to be treated like a delicate flower, that she could stand at his side as an equal and expected him to lean on her as much as she leaned on him.  
It was however something he still had to get used to. Three hundred years of relying on only yourself, hiding away all your weaknesses, didn’t go away so easily, even though he wanted it to.  
They had reached a truce and agreed to both continue talking to the cricket. His appointment had been on Tuesday, where they’d started delving into his reluctance to burden his wife.  
“We’re both figuring it all out. No need to worry.” Killian started the dishwasher and turned to the teenager. “So? How are things with Violet?” he smirked. Henry shrugged, blushing fiercely.  
“C’mon lad, you are butting in on my love life, least you can do is tell me about yours in return,” Killian teased. Henry sighed and smiled at the pirate captain.  
“Things are good, great even… Can I ask a favor?” Hook nodded, eager to help Henry in any way he could. “Could I maybe borrow the Jolly Roger for New Years eve? I wanted to take Violet to see the fireworks on the water.  
Hook chuckled. “A very romantic gesture lad, but aren’t you forgetting something? My girl needs more than one pair of experienced hands to set sail. I’m assuming your lass has never sailed before?” Hook guessed. Henry looked down and frowned at that.  
“I could see if I can find a fellow sailor with a smaller vessel that you can steer on your own. If you are really set on having your privacy,” he suggested. Henry’s eyes lit up at that.  
“Make sure you have her father’s blessing for these plans though. He might appreciate it that you come to him directly,” Killian advised.  
Henry nodded eagerly. “No problem. I just wanted to make sure Violet had the best possible view. They’ll be her first fireworks after all,” he explained. Killian nodded in understanding, wondering if he should have a man to man talk with the boy before that time. He probably should discuss this with Emma first. It felt like a decision they should make together.  
“So, you think we’ll be done with reading before the end of your winter vacation?”  
Henry shrugged. “Depends on how much more I’ll write. I already added another part after the ones I added this weekend. It’s ten chapters long! And mom is still a child in the last drawing I made.” Killian leaned against the counter with an inquisitive look.  
“You sound a bit disappointed there lad,” he observed. Henry shrugged and looked away. Killian however was not intending on just letting it go.  
“Can’t wait to see yourself in shining armor can you?” he teased.  
“It isn’t just that… I mean, I am curious what I’d be like in this world, assuming I exist in the first place, because I’m not convinced yet. But… what if princess Emma isn’t as happy as I hoped she’d be,” he confessed. Hook nodded in understanding.  
“Lad, she is loved and protected by countless forces at this point. And she isn’t even two yet. I don’t doubt that she’ll gain more allies as she grows older. What does your last drawing look like?” he asked. “As far as I can tell it’s supposed to be Neal’s naming ceremony.”  
“Does she look upset?” he pressed.  
“No.” Henry said, trying his best to avoid spoilers, though he couldn’t help the small smile that formed as he thought of that particular chapter.  
“See, looks like she’s fine. How old is she?” he queried.  
“8?” Henry guesses. He’s sure he wrote it somewhere in the chapter, but he couldn’t quite remember. 8 felt right though.  
“Who’s eight?” Emma asked as she walked down.  
“I’m trying to get some information out of your boy about his story. He has yet to divulge anything critical,” Killian told her simply.  
“As he shouldn’t, you can find out with the rest of us,” Emma berated her husband.  
“And now it’s time for school. Ready?”  
Henry showed her his backpack indicating he was ready to go.  
“Great, don’t forget you’re eating at Regina’s tonight.” Emma hadn’t asked why Regina wanted their son at her place tonight. It was none of her business.  
Henry nodded and gave Emma a hug and a kiss before leaving for the bus.  
“He’s so big already,” she sighed sadly as she holstered her gun so they could leave too.  
“Ay,” Killian agreed, not daring to bring up the thought that jumped into his mind. The thought that hadn’t completely left him since Snow White unknowingly planted it last weekend.  
What if they were to have a baby of their own?  
Were they ready for that? He was certain he wanted to enjoy their happy beginning for a little while before starting the next adventure. At the same time he didn’t want to wait too long. He was no longer frozen in time. He’d like to be able to go adventuring with any little pirates they might have. His heart raced just at the thought. A little prince or princess…  
“He ended up alright though… Even with all this craziness the last few years,” Emma continued.  
“He has two powerful, intelligent and competent women as mother figures in his life,” he offers.  
“Not to mention prince charming as his grandfather. When it comes to male role models that’s not bad either,” he added.  
“Don’t sell yourself short there captain. You are one heck of a dad,” she reminded him. He smiled back at her and pulled her in for a kiss.  
“Hm, what was that for?” she chuckled.  
“It’s just nice to hear sometimes luv,” he muttered against her ear -not daring to point out that she had neglected to use the ‘step’ prefix just in case it would freak her out- as he held her. And before he could get distracted any more, and the thought of having a child with his love was very distracting, he let her go and pulled her to the door.  
“Come on. Before the dwarves accuse me of being a bad influence,” he urged her and they left for work.

Emma chuckled as she watched her husband duel one of the lost boys.  
They’d struck a deal that if Killian won the kids would clean up the mess they made at the library and go back to school. If the boy won then they’d get to sail on the Jolly Rogers the rest of the day. Suddenly she heard the radio go of behind her:  
“We’ve got a case of vandalism at the Charming household,” Leroy informed her.  
Emma frowned, she had a sneaking suspicion who the culprit was. She picked up the receiver, not quite looking away from the duel in front of her. Killian was easily winning and taking his chance to teach the boys about good form. “Anyone can win a fight when playing dirty,” he explained as he parried his opponent’s trust and blocked the accompanying blow to the gut, using it’s momentum to make his opponent lose his footing.  
“But a true master of the sword, wins fairly even when facing an underhanded opponent,” he finished as he disarmed the boy and held both mock swords at the boys chest. The lost boys applauded for Hook and jeered at their defeated member, which was shut down by Hook at once.  
“Emma here, do you need assistance in taking her in?” she asked, hoping that Grumpy hadn’t called her because Lily had turned into a dragon upon their arrival or something like that.  
“Calm down lads!” Hook berated the group.  
“We’re on our way to the station, but you need to do something about this sister. One day it’ll be more than a mailbox.”  
Emma sighed defeated, knowing Grumpy was right. “Copy that, we’re on our way.”  
“Thomas made a valiant effort. He showed creativity and determination. I’d say he has good form even, if not for his tendency to go for dirty shots when he thinks he’s about to lose,” Killian informed his audience. “The thing about dirty shots lad, is that while a novice won’t be able to defend against them, an opponent with more skill will easily see them coming and use them against you,” he informed the boy.  
“Now as promised…” The boys sighed and headed back inside to clean up.  
“Mrs. Gold!” Killian called out to Belle, who’d been watching from the doorframe.  
“Please let me know if the boys do a good job. I might want to reward them with a short journey on the Jolly Rogersthis weekend! If it’s alright with their guardians of course.” Upon hearing this, the boys hurried inside. Eager to earn a ride on the ship they’d only seen from a distance for so long.  
“That was nice of you,” Emma tells him proudly.  
“I figured some positive reinforcement might help. I’m just glad they actually listen.”  
“Well, even if you aren’t their guardian, you are the only one in town who spent any real time in Neverland. For over a century you were the only adult in their lives. I’m not surprised they’re trying to get your attention.”  
Killian looked at her in surprise as she pointed him towards the driver’s seat.  
“Mind taking the wheel? We need to get to the station and I need to make a quick call.”  
He nodded and got in the car with her. “Sorry luv, but what do you mean?” he pressed.  
“Come on. I’ve never had trouble with those kids making a spectacle of themselves until now. The only times they did act out, it was stopped long before anyone called me. You know who the dutiful citizen was who kept the boys from escalating their minor misbehavior?” she asked.  
Killian’s eyebrows shot up. He recalled his first encounter with the boys. It was shortly after the curse of shattered sight was broken. They had skipped school and decided that the best way to spend their extra free time was to make a ruckus at Granni’s. Sadly for them, Killian still had taken up residence there at the time, had been less than thrilled to find it crawling with teenagers while he was picking up some snacks to bring over to the library for him and Belle to enjoy while they researched the hat. Between his substantial sense of guilt over the predicament the fairies and the apprentice found themselves in and the fact that he’d only just escaped death he wasn’t exactly willing to be patient with the boys. He’d scolded the children and reminded them that they were lucky enough to have families who’d taken them in that were probably worrying about them at that very moment. He set them straight and sent them home. After that he had a small encounter with a hand full of former lost boys about once a week. Until now he’d assumed that it was simply because they were mischief makers as a rule, it was the only way he’d ever seen them. It had never occurred to him that they were seeking out his attention in particular.  
“And you think that now that I’m sheriff they figured they need to make more of a spectacle to get my undivided attention? That can’t go well. Perhaps I should take the opportunity this weekend to talk with them about a less destructive way for us to meet up every once in a while,” Killian suggested.  
“You can do that if you want. But remember, it’s not your responsibility to keep them in line. That’s their parent’s job. You have your own life and family to think of after hours,” she reminded him with a smile as she pressed call on her phone. He started the car and headed towards the station.  
He wasn’t quite used to piloting the vessel, but Swan had taught him how to do it during the blissfully quiet weeks they’d had during Rumpelstiltskin’s banishment.  
“Hey kid, listen. I’m sorry to bother you, but I was wondering… Lily wouldn’t happen to be part of your story…” Killian glanced over with a raised eyebrow. Well he supposed he knew why they were heading to the station then. He’d heard from David that Lilith stirred up some problems every once in a while. “Really? Would it be okay if I invited her over to read with us Friday then?”  
Emma gestured towards Killian to keep his eyes on the road, he complied, though he was still curious.  
“Thanks kid. Have fun.” She hung up and leaned back in her seat with a sigh.  
“Everything alright luv?” Killian checked.  
“I don’t know… What would you say if I said I think I know a way to get my darkness out of Lily?” Killian looked back astonished before returning his attention to the road.  
“Well that’s great isn’t it? I know how guilty you felt over her fate when you found out… Why?” he added when he realized that she didn’t seem very happy with her own idea.  
“What’s the prize?” he pressed when she hesitated.  
“Well. My idea is to kind of mimic what Regina did with the Evil Queen,” she explained.  
“You mean take her darkness for your own?” Killian wasn’t a fan of that idea at all.  
“It’s my darkness to begin with, it shouldn’t be someone else’s burden to bare.” He didn’t quite know how to argue with that. But still.  
“I wanted to talk about it with you before I give Lilith hope. If you don’t think we should go through with this I’ll find something else to hold my darkness…” Killian shook his head.  
“We’ve already seen that distilled emotions from a savior can be powerful magical artefacts. I don’t want to know what someone could do with a bottle of pure savior darkness… You’re right it’s probably the best way…” he agreed reluctantly.  
“I just wish you wouldn’t have to bare it either. It was your potential, but the darkness on it’s own is from Lilith’s deeds…” he argued.  
“I know, but I can’t help but think that she wouldn’t have done those things if she didn’t have twice the potential for darkness in her.” She bit her lip. Truth was, she couldn’t consider starting a new family with Killian if she hadn’t made this right. She couldn’t continue to build her own happiness at the cost of Lilith’s.  
“I’ll be at your side luv, and I’ll help you fight the darkness. I’ve had some practice,” he jested. The dark Swan episode wasn’t a fond memory, but he preferred to try and joke about it, so it may get buried in the past where it belonged.  
“And this time there won’t a millennium’s worth of dark ones in the back of my mind trying to get me to do the wrong thing,” Emma added seriously, clearly still blaming herself for the mistake she’d made. Hook took his hand of the wheel to take her’s and give it a squeeze, glancing at her.  
“We’ll be alright luv,” he promised. Emma smiled back at him and he looked back ahead.

“Hey Lily. What was it this time?” Emma asked calmly as she and Hook entered the station.  
“I just gave that stupid snow white mailbox a more interesting design, that’s all,” she groaned.  
“Did my parents ask you to do that?” Emma wasn’t even angry. She understood that this was the nicest way the woman in front of her could express her frustration.  
“Did I ask them to ruin my life?” she countered.  
“I walked right into that one.” Emma took a deep breath and looked back at her husband.  
Killian nodded and directed Grumpy outside. This was a one on one conversation.  
“What? Hey she’s not going to do anything crazy is she?” Grumpy protested. He seemed to consider himself something of a guardian of the crown. Which included the crown princess.  
“The ladies just need some one on one girl talk mate. Let them gossip,” Killian assured the dwarve.  
“A loyal one isn’t he?” Lily scoffed.  
“Your mom’ll be here soon for your bail. But I run out of ways to let you off with a warning Lily. This has to stop.” Lily got ready to make a biting remark, but Emma didn’t let her.  
“Which is why, I think I have a solution.” Lily frowned at that.  
“What?” she asked perplexed.  
“I think I have a way to help you Lily. I can’t give you the time you missed with your mom because of my parents. But I think I have a way to fix what they did to your heart,” she told her.  
“How?” Lily asked eagerly, knowing that Emma wasn’t going to half ass this. She promised Regina her happy ending and she became a dark one to ensure she’d keep that promise.  
“Will you and your mother consider coming to the sorcerers mansion this Friday for dinner? Say 6ish? Henry has something special I want to share with the both of you as well. But first I’ll do as I promised… I just need to, prepare myself. The spell cast on us was encouraged by the author and cast by Merlin’s apprentice. Which should tell you something about it’s power. But if my plan doesn’t work I’ll keep trying, for as long as it takes, this I swear.”  
Lily looks at Emma, long and hard and slowly, she nods. “I believe you,” she says, a small smile on her lips.  
“And… I promise not to mess with any of your parent’s stuff anymore. I suppose I could try and take up yoga instead… Or boxing.” The two women smiled at each other.  
“Do you ever wonder what life would be like if we grew up in the enchanted forest? Me a princess and you the daughter of one of the most feared sorceress out there?” Emma wondered aloud.  
Lily thought about that for a bit. “What? You think I’d be the Malificent to your sleeping beauty?”  
Emma shrugged. “I don’t know. I hope not,” she admitted. “I liked it, when we were friends.”  
Lily cast her eyes down. “Yeah… I don’t blame you for not trusting me though. Hindsight, I probably shouldn’t have lied about being in the system and stuff. I just, really wanted you to like me.”  
“You were cool Lily. I would’ve liked you anyway. I would’ve called you an idiot for running away from people who actually wanted you around, but I would’ve liked you all the same,” she assured her.  
“Yeah… We might’ve stayed in touch. Maybe I would’ve been there with you when Henry came to get you,” she suggested.  
“And we would’ve discovered this fairytale world together… Though it would be a bit awkward when we discovered that it was actually your mother Rumpel wanted me to kill in order to get the true love potion.” Lily paled. “Wait… What?”  
“She never told you? She was resurrected not too long before I came to find you. I fought her for the potion I thought was going to save Henry, but it was actually what Gold needed to bring back magic,” Emma explained. “I see… Well she didn’t seem to care much about that. Cause she never mentioned any of it,” Lily said slowly. “She may have thought it would upset you. Listen I’m sorry…” Lily held up her hand. “You did it to save your son and as far as you could see there was an angry dragon between you and the cure for his illness. Of course you slayed it.”  
“I should’ve looked for another way,” Emma argued.  
Lily shrugged. “She’s here, Henry’s here, I’m here. All’s well that ends well.”  
“There you are!” Malificent breathed in relief as she handed Emma an envelop. She had bailmoney on standby these days.  
“Sheriff please release my daughter,” she instructed. Emma nodded, not even checking the contents of the envelope. Her parent’s never pressed charges and she really didn’t feel like making it into a bigger deal than it was.  
“Hey mom, guess what? Emma thinks she has a way to kick my bad habits,” Lily smiled as Emma let her out.  
“Really?” The former mistress of evil turned to Emma in astonishment. The savior nodded.  
“Really. Friday around six pm at the mansion. Don’t forget it,” Emma reminded Lily.  
“We won’t,” she assured her.


	17. Loose ends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When you stop running from your past and instead look trough it for answers, you might find a new perspective.

**A different story**

_Thursday December 11th 2014_

** Life in Storybrooke**

“Well Emma, I must say I think over all you’ve made great progress since we started talking,” Archie told her as they neared the end of their time.  
“I’m proud of you for actively dealing with any lingering regrets and facing your fears so head on. And I can’t even begin to describe how delighted I am to hear that you reached out to so many of your past families.” His smile slowly relaxed as his expression got serious.  
“Just don’t take on too much at a time alright?” he warned.  
“Overexerting yourself, wanting to fight too many battles at once might be contributing to your nightmares.”  
Emma sighed. “Maybe you’re right… But Killian and I are leaving on our honeymoon after Christmas vacation is over and I want everything dealt with so I can relax. You should see the way he lights up when he alludes to the journey he planned. I can’t be distracted by unfinished business at home. I want it to be just the two of us those two weeks. No demons,” she argued. Archie nodded.  
“I can understand that, but consider that you aren’t just putting yourself under stress. If you are overwhelmed, it is going to weigh on him too.”  
Archie was right, Emma could tell that her mood had been affecting Killian.  
“Do you think it was right for me to ask him to agree to my crazy plan?” she asked softly.  
“I think it was right of you to include him in this decision that would affect the both of you,” he assured her. Emma relaxed as she heard this. She’d really been worried about this.  
“I’m afraid that’s our time for today Emma. Next week same time?” he suggested.  
“Sure thing doc,” she smiles as she pays for her session and leaves.  
On the way home she found herself humming Killian’s song from the book and as she caught herself she chuckled. She could barely control herself though when she pulled up and heard her pirate was humming his chantey in the kitchen as well.  
She went inside, making as little noise as she could. Clearly Killian was distracted because it didn’t seem like he noticed her pulling up in the driveway, or the front door opening. Instead he just continued humming the refrain, even breaking out in full on song as it came to the big finale.  
“My love, my love, my love, you’re gonna be mine!  
Oh, you’re gonna be, yes you’re gonna be, you’re gonna be mine.  
You’re gonna be, you’re gonna be, you’re gona be mine!”  
He came to a full stop when he saw his wife smile at him from the kitchen door.  
“Ah… Dinner’s ready?” he tried.  
“Practicing for karaoke night already?” she mused.  
“Ah, it’s a rather catchy tune,” he defended himself. Emma giggled and nodded. She had to give him that.  
“Dinner smells delicious,” she told him, letting it go for now.  
Killian gratefully turned back to his cooking. “Codfish, peas and carrots and boiled potatoes,” he informed her.  
“I’ll set the table,” she offered as she reached for the plates, only to have Killian grab her hand and pull her in for a kiss.  
“Not a chance luv. You,” he opened a cabinet and took out a wine glass.  
“Are pouring yourself a glass from the bottle in the fridge. Then you’ll sit down and tell me about your talk with doctor Hopper,” he insisted while he demonstratively took two plates from the cupboard and put them on the table. Indicating he’d be taking care of everything tonight.  
“Alright,” she chuckled as she followed his instructions. By the time she sat down he’d set the table, complete with a lit candle at the center.  
“I thought we could take advantage of having some alone time tonight,” he suggested.  
“We’ll have alone time every night next week,” Emma reminded him. He shrugged.  
“I know, but this week I only get tonight to spoil you.” He sat himself down and held up his glass.  
“To a week without disasters, to tying up loose ends. To us.”  
Emma met his glass with hers and together they took a sip, never letting go of each other’s eyes.  
“You’re really alright with everything?” she asked tentatively.  
“No,” he admitted. “But I can tell you aren’t either. This is something you feel you have to do. And I want to support you on this. All things considered this is not the biggest challenge our relationship has had to face. If we survived purgatory, I know we can survive this.” He took her hand in his and kissed her knuckles.  
“What did Archie say?” he pressed.  
“He thinks what I’m doing is right, but he warned me not to try and do too much at the same time… And he’s probably right. Maybe I should’ve at least waited for some responses on my emails before diving straight into trying to help Lily. Or the other way around…” She took a deep breath.  
“What’s done is done I suppose. I just… I wanted everything to be taken care of before the new year. No more messes to clean up, no lingering questions. Just us and our future,” she squeezed Killian’s hand before starting on her dinner.  
“Hmmm, this is delicious!” she exclaimed. Killian nodded his agreement as he swallowed his bite.  
“Have you heard back from anyone yet?”  
Emma rolled her eyes. “I just got home,” she reminded him.  
“Doesn’t your phone tell you when you have mail?” he frowned, genuinely wondering if he’d misunderstood.  
“Well, yes. I just turned off notifications for my mailbox. I don’t like being bothered by my phone going off ten times an hour,” she reasoned.  
Killian quirked his brow. “Sounds reasonable, but I can’t help but feel like you’re making excuses luv.” Emma looked at her plate, not meeting his gaze.  
“It’s weird, I didn’t expect any answers, but now I’m afraid that I was right.” She looked up at him with big, scared eyes. “What if no one even remembers me?” she asked quietly.  
“I find that hard to believe. You have a knack of making lasting impressions,” he assured her.  
“That’s not always a good thing,” she sighed, thinking of the Henderson family and how she’d ran away after Lily had taken their vacation money. She had almost not written to them, but decided that nothing good ever came from avoiding your past. That much had been proven.  
So she’d included an apology with the mail and hoped that they didn’t hold too much of a grudge against a teenager.  
“Luv, if any of them give you trouble you just introduce them to your husband.” He winked playfully at that and she chuckled.  
“My husband captain Hook?” she verified teasingly. “Yeah, they won’t think I’m insane or anything.”  
“Your husband Killian Jones,” he corrected seriously. “Who will gladly hunt down anyone who upsets his lovely bride.” She smiled appreciatively.  
“Thanks, but I’ll manage. If I don’t like the conversation I can just ignore their messages. That’s the good part of not doing this in person.” She finished her meal and glanced towards the living room where her laptop sat, waiting for her to see if anyone had replied since yesterday.  
“Tell you what, we’ll clean up dinner and then I’ll go pick Henry up from Regina’s. It’ll give you time to see if you received anything. You might even have time to reply and set up something for us to enjoy when we get back.” Emma nodded. That sounded like a good plan.  
“Alright, let’s get started.” Sooner than she liked the table was cleared and Killian had left.  
So here she was, staring at her computer, mouse hovering over the mail icon on her home screen.  
“Don’t be a baby,” she scolded herself and clicked. Her mail opened and she saw she had several new messages. Looking them over, she realized that most of them were replies, not just junkmail.  
She clicked on the ones that scared her the least first.  
Group homes that probably had dozens of kids going in and out on a yearly basis.  
Surprisingly most had in fact sent some pictures. Usually it was in a group setting or during activities. The mails generally said that they were happy to hear that she’d found her birth family and hoped that she was doing well. It was a generic reply, but still. It was nice. Sometimes they’d add the name and mail of the social worker that had been in charge of the group around the time she was there or who’d had the most interaction with her.  
She noted down the addresses to reply to later, along with a short note for herself to distinguish them. She was surprised to find that she had fond memories of most of the people suggested to her. Like Mrs. Blake, who’d try to teach them to cook and had a great sense of humor. Or Mr. Thomson who liked to tell ridiculous stories before bedtime.  
They were small points of light she’d held onto and had kept her believing that there was something good in the world, in people, that was worth fighting for.  
Next she went through a handful replies of foster families who didn’t have anything, but had felt compelled to wish her well. There were several who hadn’t replied yet and when Emma thought back, she was fairly certain that those families wouldn’t care enough to do so anyway. It didn’t sting as much as she had feared it would. Instead she couldn’t help but smile at the fact that there were several who hadn’t just deleted the mail as soon as they saw her name, who’d read that she mentioned having found her family as well as making a family of her own and congratulated her.  
In the end she was left with two replies that honestly shocked her.  
The Henderson’s and the Davies family.  
The only two families, other than Ingrid, she’d ever really been part of.  
She took a deep breath and opened the Henderson mail.  
“Emma,  
We can’t begin to tell you how happy we are to hear from you again.” That was a surprise.  
“After you ran away that evening, we should’ve gone after you right away. We didn’t think a fifteen year old girl would take off on her own in the middle of the night. We were foolish enough to think that you’d walk around the block and come back home. When you didn’t we tried to look for you, but you were probably already halfway to the next town by then.  
When we finally found out where you ended up, your new foster mother told us you didn’t want anything to do with us and we can’t blame you.”  
Emma sighed sadly. It sounded like Ingrid had forgotten to tell her quite a few things. She would’ve loved to know that the Henderson’s had reached out. That they’d cared.  
“You weren’t with us for long, but we did find a few pictures and recordings. Including of your fifteenth birthday. I’m so happy to hear that you found your birth family. I hope we can catch up with you some more. Love, Hannah, Carl, Jamie and Vince.”  
She was near tears at the end. This was the exact opposite of what she’d feared. And in a way it still hurt. But the slight clenching in her heart was well worth knowing that the Henderson’s, or at the very least Hannah, had cared.  
She wrote down a note to reply to them and explain that Ingrid had turned out slightly unstable and had never even mentioned that they’d called. They deserved to know as much of the truth as she could share.  
She downloaded the files Hannah had sent her and opened the last message. The Davies family had taken her in the longest and she hoped they’d kept the pictures, if they’d taken any.  
The mail had the paperclip symbol that indicated it contained files for her. So that was a good start.  
“Emma,  
Can you imagine my surprise when I saw your email?  
We’ve included as much pictures as we could as you can see. But we’ll gladly sent more your way. Email’s aren’t forgiving when it comes to sending images it seems and we didn’t dare start on the video tapes.  
I understand if you are uncomfortable doing this, but could we video chat?  
We’ll be ready for your call between seven and eight tonight. If this doesn’t work for you, then please sent a reply to set a time that does, or to tell us that you don’t want to chat. We’ll understand either way. Love Donna, Greg and Claire.”  
Emma stared at the message for a while, unsure what to do. It was seven thirty. They were waiting for her… She was a few mouse clicks away from talking to the people who’d raised her the first three years of her life. These were the people who heard her first words, watched over her first steps. Fed her from formula to solid food. She left them too young to have any memories of that time, but they had some of the memories of her that she really wanted to share with her parents.  
She took a deep breath and made the call.  
It rung two times before they picked up. In front of her there was a couple in their fifties, holding each other’s hand in between them, looking at her in awe.  
It made her self-conscious. Maybe she should’ve waited. Told them to call her on Monday so she’d have time to prepare. So she could ask Killian to be with her when she saw them.  
He could’ve held her hand as he charmed the Davies, ended the conversation for her without hurting their feelings if it became too much. Hugged her afterwards if she fell apart.  
“Hi,” she greeted awkwardly.  
“My god… Look how beautiful you’ve become,” Donna whispered.  
“Are you really little Emma?” Greg asked in disbelief.  
“Found near a roadside diner, wrapped in a blanket with her name on it.” She moved aside to show the blanket that laid over the couch. “That’s me.”  
The couple let out a sigh of relief. “Thank heavens,” Donna breathed.  
Emma frowned not sure what was going on. Luckily Donna picked up on her confusion and hurried to explain.  
“Around your eight birthday we tried to find you. We’d gotten in a more comfortable situation financially and wanted to see if we could bring you back home. But…”  
“I’d run away,” she finished, remembering the time she’d spent living on the streets.  
“We were furious when we learned that the police wasn’t taking your disappearance seriously. We were told that orphans run away all the time, that they usually show up a few towns over… I just don’t get why they didn’t even try…” Donna sobbed. Greg put his arm around her in comfort and continued:  
“We burned a candle for you every year on your birthday.”  
She felt bad for the nice couple, clearly the people they’d spoken to hadn’t cared much. Otherwise they would’ve called them back that winter to tell them that she had resurfaced as Emma Swan and they could’ve still tried to reach out. Maybe she would’ve grown up with them and a sister. Instead they’d been left to worry if she was even still alive and she’d been left feeling like no one cared. Something that clearly wasn’t the case. Between them and the Davies, and perhaps some group home employees she had yet to contact, she wasn’t as unloved as she’d always believed. It was a bittersweet comfort to her.  
Their relieved reaction to seeing her, with proof that she was who she said she was, made a lot more sense now though. If she was in their shoes she probably would have worried too.  
“When we took you in, we were so happy. It was a true pleasure raising you, even if we didn’t get a lot of time to be your parents. But because your birthparents had yet to be found we didn’t dare to finalize the adoption right away. We waited three years until we felt certain that they wouldn’t suddenly show up. That you wouldn’t be caught in a custody battle. We were so close…” Greg sighed.  
“Then why…” Emma cut herself off. She couldn’t fault them for picking their own baby over some stranger.  
“Oh, dear. The doctors had told us we would never have kids. That’s why we looked into adopting a baby in the first place.” Emma’s eyes widened, thinking back to how, in Henry’s new book, she had possibly already started showing signs of magic as a baby… already brought back a happy ending… Could it be…?  
“Swan!?” Emma looked up from the screen. Killian and Henry were back and were taking of their coats. “Hey!” she greeted.  
“Who’s that dear?” Donna asked curiously, instinctively trying to look around Emma.  
“Mom? Who are you talking to?” Henry wondered, causing the Davies to gasp.  
“Killian, Henry. Come here for a second,” she called them over.  
They hung their coats and each sat on one side of her taking in the couple of strangers on the screen.  
“My lord!” Donna exclaimed disbelieving, taking them in.  
“Donna, Greg. This is my husband Killian and my son Henry. Killian, Henry. Meet Donna and Greg Davies. They were my first foster family,” she explained. Killian nodded in understanding.  
“Pleasure to meet you both,” he greeted politely with a bow of his head.  
Donna beamed at the man who had a protective arm around Emma’s shoulder.  
“Oh, I like him. Such a polite young man.” Killian smirked, not sure if he fit any definition of the word young, anymore.  
“Even if you didn’t, there isn’t much to be done about it now sweetheart. He liked it so he put a ring on it, as the song goes,” Greg joked, which got him a scoff and playful pat on the arm.  
“Uh… Hi,” Henry greeted awkwardly. He looked questioningly at his mother.  
“I thought it would be fun if your grandparents had some old pictures of me. So I contacted my old foster homes and families, hoping to get a few. Turns out some of them had been hoping to get back in touch with me as well,” she explained.  
“Really? That’s awesome mom! Don’t worry. I’ll keep it a surprise! Oh, I’ll get you a nice album to put the pictures in too. Makes it feel more authentic,” he suggested.  
“That’s a brilliant idea,” Emma agreed.  
“Your boy is of the creative sort I see. I seem to recall you were very partial to painting… The walls…With mashed peas.”  
Killian snorted. “Really?” he asked with a grin on his face.  
“Not the point of the call,” Emma interjected.  
“Emma is right dear, don’t embarrass her.” Donna nudged her husband with a warning frown, before turning back to the camera with a sad smile.  
“We were just telling Emma that we were about to finalize the adoption when we unexpectedly found out we were expecting a baby of our own. Something doctors had told us was impossible for us.” Both Killian and Henry fought the urge to look at Emma. Both were thinking the same thing Emma had when finding out.  
“We were delighted with this miracle, until we realized that we didn’t have the means to support us both along with two young children,” Donna sighed and the family of three could see her eyes were welling up with tears. “We tried to keep you out of these conversations, but one day we found you with your blanket and your bunny, trying to open the door. We knew then that you somehow understood what we’d been unwilling to accept.”  
Emma sighed and leaned back in the couch. “You had to put me back in the system.”  
The elder couple nodded. “Claire is a wonderful woman and she has given us three wonderful grandchildren. We just wish we could’ve kept her big sister with us as well.”  
Emma shrugged. “I can’t say I regret a thing. I wouldn’t risk not having Henry or Kilian in my life for anything,” she told them. And it was true. She had fought too hard for this life to wish for anything that could rip any part of it away from her.  
“That’s all we could ever whish for you.”  
They finished the call and Emma gave them her Boston address to send the other pictures to, though she made a mental note to put her flat there and the one in New York up for sale once they’d arrived. It made absolutely no sense for her to still have it now that she was staying here. In the past she had stalled selling so she could still run back to Boston or New York if she felt like it. But now it was time to start working on breaking her ties with her old life for good. Which also meant she probably should ask Henry what he wanted them to do with Neal’s New York apartment…  
Emma took a deep breath as she fell back against the couch cushions, those were worries for another day.  
“You alright luv?” Killian asked worriedly.  
“Just a little tired. I still have a lot of replies and follow up messages to send, but not right now.”  
She turned to Henry. “So how were things at Regina’s? Did you finish your homework?” she asked.  
Henry looked over at Killian who nodded, it was best they let Emma process everything on her own time for now.  
“I finished everything before dinner. And dinner was… Not too interesting, really. She made lasagna and asked me about the book,” he shrugged. Emma frowned. Unsure why Regina would need a one on one for that.  
“What do you mean?” she pressed.  
“She wanted to know why I wanted to read the book so badly. I told her what I already told everyone. That since I wrote it, I wanted to read it and share it with you guys.” Henry looked down and blushed.  
“She just wanted to make sure that this wasn’t about… You remember that when the curse just got broken I had this idea in my head about becoming a real prince?” he asked. Killian frowned, he hadn’t been around for that. Emma glanced at Killian and shrugged, indicating that it wasn’t something to be worried about.  
“Living in a castle, becoming a knight. Like most boys that age,” she recalled both to tell Henry she knew what he was referring to and filling her husband in on the situation. Killian nodded.  
He remembered, before his father abandoned them, that he and Liam had similar fantasies. And when they were young men in the Royal Navy, such fantasies had even made a return. For him at least. Liam was never the romantic type, determined to serve until he could retire or died at sea.  
Kilian was the one who could see himself catching the eye of a noble woman and falling desperately in love. Either being welcomed in her family with open arms due to his heroics or running away with her from an oppressing life to live on love.  
So of course the lad, who was actually a prince, would assume that he would move to the enchanted forest to live that life.  
“Yeah, well, she wanted to make sure that I wouldn’t be disappointed with the life I have when I see myself live the life I’d fantasized about trough the book.”  
Emma smiled at her son and hugged him. “Do you still want to be a prince?” she asked.  
“To be honest, I think Isaac had the right idea not wanting to get sent back to mediaeval times. Ten year old me didn’t know it yet, but I wouldn’t survive in a world without central heating and running water.” Emma laughed along with her son and her husband.  
“Did you tell her that?” Emma asked. Henry nodded. “She had about the same reaction.”  
“I bet she did. If you want to visit the Enchanted forest over the summer or something, we can do that. You just have to ask,” Emma tells him gently. Henry nods.  
“Maybe I will. But right now I want to take a look at those pictures!” Henry insisted eagerly.  
“I think your mother has had a long enough walk down memory lane today lad. Besides, I think it’ll be much more enjoyable to see these pictures for the first time when the album is finished. Wouldn’t you agree lad?” Henry nodded sheepishly, remembering that it had been a taxing evening for his mom.  
“How about a movie instead, I still haven’t seen all the ‘classics’ as you call them,” Killian suggested.  
“Sure, what movie?”  
“I think it’s time we get Killian started on the original trilogy,” Emma suggested. Henry nodded eagerly.  
“Let’s watch the first one tonight, then we’ll see if we can see ‘The Empire strikes back’ and ‘Return of the Jedi’ later this weekend,” she suggested. Henry shot up and immediately got to work. Emma and Killian chuckled at his enthusiasm.  
Emma laid herself down, legs over the edge of the couch her head resting in Killian’s lap where he played with her hair. Henry sat on Killian’s other side, ready to explain things should his stepdad get confused.  
Killian actually really liked the movie. He immediately sympathized with the character of Hans Solo, to absolutely no one’s surprise. His enthusiasm when he realized what Henry had meant with the ‘Wookie Prisoner gag’ was endearingly hilarious.  
When the end credits rolled Emma sent Henry to bed with the reminder that he had school in the morning and that if he was too tired for that, he’d be too tired to read in the evening. Needless to say he went to bed without a fuss.  
“Shall we retire for the evening too luv?” Killian suggested once Henry was out of sight.  
Emma pressed sent on her last Email, turned off her smartphone and nodded. During the last hour she’d been multitasking. Wanting to get through her replies before going to bed so she wouldn’t have to think about it anymore tonight. And now she was completely exhausted.  
She yawned as she stretched herself before getting up.  
“The cricket is right you know? You take too much on your plate,” Killian tells her softly.  
“I know. I promise after tomorrow, I’ll take it easy.”  
Killian sighs, “I suppose that’s all I can ask. But be warned luv, I will hold you to that promise.”  
Emma smiles back at him. “I’m counting on it.”  
And with a quick kiss they go to their room.

_Friday December 12th_

Henry was feeling very excited the next day. Not only would they continue reading tonight, with extra guests, his mom had an awesome Christmas present for his grandparents and he couldn’t wait to see the result.  
It was all he could do to pay some attention in class. He had to remind himself that karaoke and pizza family night was on the line.  
Finally the last bell rang and he and Violet got to the bus. Only to find that his mom was waiting to pick him up.  
“We figured you’d want to start as soon as possible, Emma and the others are already there,” she explained as he approached the car. Upon hearing that he jumped in excitedly.  
When they arrived at the mansion he rushed to the reading room and barely allowed anyone to say anything. He wanted to get as much reading done today as possible.  
He took a moment to check if everyone was there. He knew Lilly and Malificent would arrive around dinnertime, so he wasn’t disappointed to see them missing, and his family was complete, minus the babies. He rushed to the book Emma had laid in it’s spot for him, started the chapter and sat himself next to Belle, feeling a bit nervous about sitting right next to the dark one still, especially after he’d tried to kill him in the alternate story. Sure he didn’t know they were related at the time, but still.  
Rumpel was more than pleasantly surprised that Henry had chosen to sit with them at all. He would have to get used to actually be included in the family. There had been attempts in the past, but he’d never made it easy for them if he was honest. Wanting to have his cake and eat it too.  
Before he could really dwell on the matter though, the story started.  
[“The ball…”](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21096764/chapters/51558181)


	18. A cheeky Princess

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As a different home life for both the Nolan an the Mills family reveals itself. Longing for might have beens, gratitude for what is and even a bit relief at what never was.

**A different story**

[Princess Emma: Collection III: Chapter I](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21096764/chapters/51558181)

_Friday December 12th 2014_

** A cheeky princess **

Snow and Charming’s cheeks hurt from smiling throughout the entire chapter, their faces were wet from the tears that had escaped them on occasion. Their little girl seemed so happy.  
David fought the urge to pick up the book and go back to the picture of him holding up a six year old Emma, both smiling brightly at each other. They glanced over to their adult daughter.  
They still wouldn’t trade her for the world, but they would give the rest of their lives if they could have one happy moment from her childhood to share with her.  
At least they would if they didn’t have a son to look after. Every glorious moment with Neal was a treasure, even if it could never compensate for the time they’d lost with Emma. They just hoped that the moments they’ll have with her and her family would be filled with as much happiness as this chapter had been.  
Emma was leaning into her husband’s side. She was enjoying this book. She was happy for her other self. But when she’d heard her song hummed by a version of her that wasn’t trying to chase away loneliness or fear it had tugged at her heartstrings. She couldn’t help thinking of the things that’d happened to her in her life around that time. At that age she’d been moving from home to home for about three years and quickly growing tired of it. It would be two more years before she ran away in her first attempt at finding her real parents. She could not imagine the cheeky, confident little girl in the story having to live in the streets, but truth was, she was that girl, just because of different reasons.  
She wasn’t cheeky and strong because she had a loving family that supported her. Or morally ambiguous people around who taught her the ways of playing pranks and walking the line of mischief. In her life these traits were defense mechanisms. Meant to protect herself from getting hurt, to hide the pain.  
Pain this other version of herself had no idea of. Still, she wasn’t jealous.  
Because… the people around her meant the world to her and they were worth every step of the way she took to find them. She was sure that book Emma would one day look at a room full of loved ones like this and be grateful for every single person there too.  
But her journey would make them different. Even if that Emma would grow up to meet Neal… Bealfire and fall in love, have Henry. That Henry wouldn’t be like her Henry. And she wouldn’t replace him for anything.  
And she liked that her mother was one of her closest friends and that she and Ella had coffee together on occasion. She found it funny that her father was actually younger than her husband and that he could teach her son how to swordfight and keep up with all of them on adventures.  
She even enjoyed making cracks at the people of Storybrooke about the way this world knew their stories. And as difficult as it had been, she liked having grown up in this world. Especially since it enabled her to introduce it to her husband, which was indescribably funny at times.  
She looked up at Killian who was smirking at her.  
“What?” she asked. Killian shrugged his shoulders. “You were always a little pirate,” he joked fondly.  
Emma just chuckled, guessing what he was talking about, but focusing on something else.  
“Those preteens deserved it for making a kid feel bad about his background. What did they think he was doing there if he hadn’t been invited anyway?” she wondered, upset at the way those snobs had acted towards her friend.  
“They probably thought he was just there to help present the gift the people of the kingdom were offering their king and queen,” Rumple sighed. Elitism was a problem everywhere.  
“I’m suddenly really glad I didn’t grow up in the enchanted forest. I mean, I would’ve been crown prince too right? If it was that bad for Roland who wasn’t even a real prince, I don’t want to know what it’s like for the next in line.”  
Belle looks down at the young author in sympathy. “I had a few eager suitors myself, and my father was just a lord, so you most likely wouldn’t have a shortage of willing ladies. But knowing your family, you would never be pressured to marry for anything less than true love,” she assured him. The charming family nodded firmly in affirmation.  
Emma turned towards Rumple to continue the discussion, because she still thought it was obvious that you shouldn’t insult a guest of the royal family, but stopped when she caught sight of Regina.  
“Are you okay Regina?” she asked worriedly. Now everyone was looking at the queen of Storybrooke and noticing that she had tear tracks running down her face.  
“Yes…” she said while wiping at her eyes with a handkerchief.  
“I’m fine. Just, between Roland calling me mother and hearing that you and him both considered my father family… Knowing that he passed away after having everything he deserved for well over six years… It’s… I didn’t expect to be so overwhelmed by it all,” she confessed a little embarrassed.  
“It’s okay mom… Do you need a break?” Henry suggested.  
“Oh, no. I actually can’t wait to hear more about this little mischief maker Snow and David are raising. I like her style,” Regina jested with a warm smile to her son, whipping the last tear from her face before throwing a conspiratory smile to the savior.  
“I must say, six is a bit young to get a taste of power play…” Emma just rolled her eyes at the ex-villain.  
“That wasn’t power play. Power play would be subtly threatening to cause a scene and make them beg for his forgiveness in order to spare their families the embarrassment. This was helping karma out.” She stated simply.  
“And you did a beautiful job love. That doesn’t get you a free pass for tricking your babysits into leaving you kids to get up to hijinks,” Killian joked.  
“_I_ did nothing of the sort,” she corrected her husband.  
“And the Emma in the book was simply doing her duty as a savior and getting those two their happy ending,” Emma argued.  
“Donna perhaps, but Vincent…?” Zelena chimed in.  
“I’m sure he had things to do that night that would make him much happier than watch over a group of kids,” the savior insisted.  
“Whatever you say mom,” Henry grinned.  
Emma let out a playful huff. “Even my own son has turned against me,” she sighed.  
“I have to say Emma, bribing me like that, I’m honestly disappointed,” David added.  
“Et tu father?” she deadpans. Meanwhile everyone else is holding back their laughter. Even Gold can’t quite contain his amusement.  
“It’s alright sweetheart. It’s not your fault no one can withstand your charm,” Snow assured her.  
“Well of course you would say that. She gets it from you,” David smirked, getting himself a shove from his wife.  
This made everyone lose their composure.  
“Alright,” Emma called out after watching the room laugh it up for a while.  
“If we’re all done laughing at the six year old, let’s see why she needed to get the adults out of the room,” Emma suggested.  
Henry didn’t need to be told twice. He shot up and hurried to the book to start the next chapter before sitting himself between Snow and Charming who gladly made room for him.  
[“Adventures of the heirs…”](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21096764/chapters/51776656)


	19. Gifted

**A different story**

[Princess Emma: Collection III: Chapter II](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21096764/chapters/51776656)

_Friday December 12th 2014_

** Gifted **

“If only they knew,” Rumpel grins making the others snicker at the blissfully ignorant Charmings.  
“That was nice, just some good clean fun aside from some exposition at the start, not bad,”  
Henry analyzed, fairly satisfied with the chapter that was mostly serving as a way to establish the dynamics and habits that had formed in this world. Considering the whirlwind they would probably read about tomorrow, if the drawings he saw were any indication at least, it was nice to have some harmless fun with little to none ominousness. Aside from the reminder that some of the people they’d met on their adventures were still in trouble in this world.  
“Note to self, you can’t hide anything from your children,” Snow chuckled amused.  
“It seems like you and your friends are going to discover everything we are trying to hide from you,” David smiles fondly, a little proud.  
“Not our fault you underestimate what a child hears and understands,” Emma shrugs, thinking back to what Donna Davies told her earlier that week. Despite their intention to shield her from the situation, a three year old her had figured out that she would have to leave soon.  
“And how well they can scheme. You were prepared to pull one massive prank luv, with or without your friends,” Killian chuckles.  
“Well Princess Emma thought she would have to entertain herself, considering she didn’t know that Roland and Pinocchio would have more fun if they didn’t attend the ball. She had to find something to do,” Emma reasoned, making her family chuckle.  
“I like how smug you are with Phillipe Junior there,” Regina teased.  
“Well once he learns his father was cursed to be a monster once upon a time, he’ll probably change his tune some as well. Just like how Emma and Roland are apparently strongly against jumping to judgement because of you,” Belle deduced.  
“I must say Henry, I especially liked the colorful drawings for this chapter,” Zelena grinned, referring to the picture of the girls attempting to do their make up as the boys jumped on beds and tried out swords in the background.  
“Like none of you ever tried on your mother’s stuff as a kid. I was in foster care and I still borrowed make up and clothes I was too young for,” Emma defended her alternate self and her friends.  
Regina and Zelena blushed as they recalled the one day they’d spent as true sisters. Snow and Belle just smile as they reminisce about the times they played dress up with their mother’s clothes.  
“That being said, I hope this me will pick up a sword or something soon. Being a savior without any fighting spirit is going to be hard on her, and boring to read for us,” Emma muttered.  
“Nonsense luv. You were clearly always a fiery little lady. I’m sure she’ll blossom into a fierce woman. Let’s enjoy the innocent moments for now,” Killian assured her.  
“Especially if she’s planning to sneak into my study when my back is turned. I don’t trust her not to try and take a peak,” Regina muttered, once again remembering when she had borrowed her mother’s wand and accidentally nearly killed herself. What if little Emma found something she wasn’t supposed to touch? She stopped her own thoughts right then and there, redirecting her eyes to the adult Emma in the room with her. Just because her alternate self might have some motherly feelings for Emma doesn’t mean she had to project those on her relationship with the savior. Their friendship was already complicated enough. Though she could worry for an alternate version of said friend she supposed.  
“She just might,” Emma chuckled. “Let’s find out shall we?”  
Henry shot up and rushed over to the book. They had time for one more chapter before dinner and extra guests would arrive. He moved to sit with his mother and aunt as the next chapter starts. “[Pushing boundaries](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21096764/chapters/52012579)…”


	20. Magic, Hearts and piza

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Extra guests arrive at the mansion and tensions rise.  
All magic comes at a prize. Are our heroes ready to pay it?

**A different story**

_Friday December 12th 2014_

**Magic, Hearts and Pizza**

The chapter had been filled with laughter, teasing and praises, but the ending has succeeded in virtually sucking all the lightheartedness out of the room.  
“Oh, poor girl,” Snow sighs sadly. She understood why her alternate self thought it was best not to spread the news about her Emma’s gifts through the entire realm. But she wished that they could do so without putting more responsibilities on the girl’s young shoulders.  
Why couldn’t any version of her succeed in protecting Emma…? Then again, according to her Emma, a sheltered version of herself was a helpless little bird. And that wasn’t right either.  
David hugged his wife close and placed a kiss on the crown of her head in comfort. Both looked over at their own daughter who smiled sadly at the book before turning to Regina with a grin.  
“Looks like in any world where I learn to use magic, you’re the one to teach me.”  
“As far as we know,” Regina corrects her.  
“I agree with my alternate sister though Emma, you show great promise,” Zelena told the savior.  
“Thanks Zelena.” Suddenly the bell rang. Henry shot up, and ran to get it.  
Emma followed him with a chuckled: “Someone’s hungry.”  
The others relaxed as they tried to forget the tense ending and focus on the pleasant parts of the chapter instead. That is until they saw Killian’s posture tense as he kept an eye on the door his wife and stepson had left trough.  
“They’re just getting Pizza,” David assured the captain. He could understand Killian’s discomfort. After everything the couple had been trough in such a short time it must be unnerving to be apart for any amount of time. Heaven knows that after Emma and Snow returned from the enchanted forest, he’d had a hard time letting either of them out of his sight for long.  
“That’s not all they’re getting,” Killian whispered, sending a sense of dread trough the room.  
Just when Snow was about to ask what her son in law knew that they didn’t, Emma appeared in the doorway with Pizza’s and a nervous smile.  
“So I invited some extra guests for the next few chapters…” she told the audience.  
And following behind her were an excited Henry and two former adversaries. Maleficent and Lily.  
The Charmings tensed, as was their habit whenever either of these women were in their general vicinity.  
“Everyone relax. I invited them because I have something important to do.”  
Snow and David paled, their daughter couldn’t be serious.  
“Looks like a cozy family evening,” Lilly observed, her hands in her jeans pockets and her hood pulled over her head. She looked nervous.  
Killian got up and stood behind his wife, laying his hand and hook on her waist in a silent sing of support.  
“Last chance luv… If you’re unsure, we’ll find some other way.” Emma looked back and smiled at him. She laid one hand on his and squeezed.  
“I’ll be fine, I have you,” she whispered. Killian smiled down at her and placed a kiss on her lips.  
“For now and always,” he vowed.  
Emma turned to Lily and Maleficent. Her eye fell on Henry who was standing next to them and holding onto a few pizza boxes, frowning at her.  
“Is… Is this why you really invited her here? Why didn’t you tell me?” Henry wondered.  
“Because,” Emma hesitated, took a deep breath and took the boxes from her son. She put them on her and Killian’s couch so she could lay her hands on his shoulders in comfort. Killian stayed right behind her. Ready to do whatever she needed of him.  
“Henry, I love you more than I can say, but this… This is a mistake that needs to be fixed. Lilly has suffered enough for my sake. I can’t… I can’t bear to continue to build my happiness at the cost of hers.” Snow felt tears roll down her cheeks. This was their fault. This was the goodness they wanted to protect and now it would lead their daughter to burden herself with exactly what they wanted to shield her from. All magic comes at a price, and they had been foolish to think they’d already paid it.  
Henry sighed and nodded. “I understand. I trust you.”  
Emma smoothed out his hair. “We don’t have to do it now. We can wait until we’re done reading for the day,” she assured him. Henry shook his head.  
“Let’s do it. Then we can all relax and have Pizza together.”  
Emma smiled and kissed Henry on the cheek before turning to Regina.  
“You best stand with Lilly and Maleficent, this part isn’t going to be pleasant for anyone,”  
she told her. Regina nodded firmly and walked over to the pair.  
Snow and Charming stood at Emma’s sides, nodding at her in encouragement each laying one hand on either of her shoulders.  
Henry joined Killian behind her as his stepfather once again laid his hand and hook on his mother’s waist. Henry laid a hand between her shoulder blades in a soothing gesture.  
“Okay,” she breathed, sounding more scared than ever before.  
Rumpel and Belle went to stand between the two sides. Rumpel ready to intervene should something go wrong, Belle ready to provide extra support for whichever side needed it more.  
“This is going to sting a bit,” Emma warned. With a swift motion she dug into her own chest and with a barely suppressed string of curses took out her brightly glowing heart. Killian pressed her back tighter against his chest, embracing her from behind. Hoping it would provide any kind of comfort. Recalling what it was like to lose his heart, he knows that it doesn’t feel the same now as it did minutes before so he poured every bit of love and devotion into the gesture he could. Hoping some of it would make it through the numbness his wife now felt.  
“It looks like it stings a lot,” Lily argued as she stepped back nervously.  
“It’s the only way I know that’ll allow me to give you my light and take some of your darkness.”  
“Careful sheriff Swan,” Rumpel argued. “When Regina did that it was with her own other half. Miss Lilith isn’t in any way related to you.”  
“We are bound, I don’t know how, but she was right. Something has connected us from the day we were born. Something made us meet, not just once but several times. This has to work,” Emma argued as she tore out Lilly’s heart. Lilly cried out in pain and confusion, prompting Maleficent to hold onto her daughter, hoping to comfort her.  
“It’s… It’s fine.” Lilly’s assurance lost some of it’s meaning as she panted and clutched her chest where her heart had been torn out.  
“Alright. Now for the hard part.” Emma looks down at the two hearts. Lilly’s wasn’t all black like one might expect. It was a gentle red with little tufts of darkness swirling around. It was different from any other heart Emma had seen before. Usually the darkness was like a stain. This darkness was a storm, brewing inside. It made her even more nervous. Killian once more tightened his embrace, her parents squeezed her shoulders and Henry moved his hand from her back to the hand that held her own heart, which glowed brighter, as though it knew, even separated from her, how loved she was in that moment.  
“You can do it mom,” Henry told her with a conviction only the truest believer could have.  
“I love you,” Killian whispered.  
“We’re right by your side,” her parents promised.  
Emma nodded and took a final deep breath.  
“Stop!” Lily shouted as she snatched her heart from Emma’s hand.  
Emma looked up confused. “Lilly?”  
“I can’t. I can’t let you do this, not for my sake,” Lilly argued.  
“I messed up so many things in my life. I’m not messing up your family too. I couldn’t care less about the Charmings, they quite frankly deserve to watch their actions explode in their faces. But you have your life together Emma. You messed up and you made up for it every time. I just ran away from consequences. I won’t anymore. When we were kids I told you that every time I think that what I’m doing is the right thing it blows up in my face. But for once, for once I know for certain what I have to do. You and I both know that letting you do this to yourself isn’t right Emma. So I won’t allow it. Not this time.” Lily was clearly passionate about it.  
“Besides,” she continued with a playful smirk.  
“I am not risking that your love for your family gets transitioned to me. I am not crazy about opening my eyes and suddenly being in love with a married man you know.” With that she raised her hand and slammed her heart back into her chest, releasing a blinding light.  
Lily’s eyes widened and she took a few steps back.  
“Was… Was that normal?” she wondered.  
“No,” Emma told her.  
“That’s definitely new,” Rumpel agreed as he walked over and tore the young woman’s heart out once more.  
“Hey!” she protested, but then she looked back to the heart and saw that while the darkness wasn’t gone, it was no longer a raging storm within her.  
“It seems miss Lilith, that you have restored yourself. From now on, you’ll have an honest chance at redemption,” he told her as he shoved her heart back in.  
“Congratulations.”  
“I… Broke the spell myself?” Lilith asked confused.  
“You were selfless, despite everything that worked against you. You did it Lilly,” Emma cheered as she hugged her friend.  
Lilly’s eyes widened and she hugged back.  
“Ahem, Mrs. Jones, you might want to put that back,” Maleficent commented dryly stepping away from the embrace and the heart that had passed a mere inch from her face when Emma embraced Lilly.  
“Oh,” Emma shot up and looked at the heart in her hand. It didn’t look any different.  
She was however not convinced that Lilly hadn’t accidentally done what she was trying to accomplish in the first place. They were threading on uncharted territory after all. So bracing herself she pushed her heart back in. It still stung as much as it did last time. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She felt normal... Or her normal at least. Her only experience with darkness was fighting it when being the dark one. And she was fairly certain that being the dark one was a different kind of darkness all together. So maybe she had her potential back… Which only meant that she had to work to be a good person just like everyone else. She could do that.  
Turning around she smiled brightly at her family, just relieved that this hurdle was crossed. One less thing to keep her up at night. She barely had a second to take everyone in before she was tackled in a big group hug.  
“Alright, alright,” she laughed. “I’m still here, but you have to let me breathe.”  
Her family let her go and when she looked up she was faced with her husband’s beaming face.  
“I’m not going to lie, I’m relieved you didn’t have to darken your heart,” he confessed.  
“Honestly? Me too,” she admitted as she reached up and kissed him  
He surprised her by picking her up and twirling her around in celebration.  
He sighed happily as he put her down.  
“Let’s not do anything so nerve wracking again for the next few months okay?” he suggests.  
“Ay, ay, captain,” she grins.  
“Ahem,” Maleficent coughs. “Should we go or…?” Lily suggested.  
“No! We ordered pizza for everyone!” Henry objected.  
“Yeah, and I promised to show you something cool remember?” Emma adds with a smile.  
“Take a seat, Henry want to catch our guests up?” she offers.  
“With pleasure!” Henry grins.  
And while they pass around the boxes, everyone listens as Henry recaps everything that happened so far, using the magic pictures, mostly to show off his mothers’ spell.  
“So now the princess is learning to use her magic in secret. That’s most of the important stuff,” he finished after a while.  
Lily looks over at Emma.  
“So that’s what you meant when you asked if I’d ever wondered what it’d be like if we grew up in the enchanted forest,” she deduced.  
“Surprise,” Emma smiled sheepishly. “What do you think?”  
“I think it’s pretty cool. I assume I’ll make an appearance soon?” she guessed.  
“I think so,” Emma nodded.  
“Well if nothing else, this should be interesting, what do you think mom?”  
Maleficent frowned and looked at Regina.  
“Is it hard, listening to what could have been?” she asked.  
“For me? Yes and no. I am happy to know that there is a world out there where my father was happy. Where Robin and I got to be married, where he got to see his son grow up into what I’m sure will be a handsome young man. I can’t promise it’s going to be the same for you though,” she confesses, their situations weren’t entirely the same.  
“Watching a version of Emma that grew up with us is a gift. Even if it drives home how much we missed,” Snow offered. Maleficent nods in understanding.  
“Then let’s see what this book has in store for us,” she decides.  
“Alright!” Henry agrees as they put aside the now empty boxes and opened the book to the next chapter.  
“This one’s called ‘The dragon in the woods’,” he read.  
“Yep, definitely me,” Lily smirked.  
“Come on Henry, we’re all dying to know how it goes!” Emma encouraged him. Henry nodded and pressed play after which he rushed to sit on the ground between his mother’s and next to where Maleficent and Lily had sat themselves. Wanting to be able to see their reactions up close. His eyes shone with excitement as Merlin’s voice once more filled the room.  
“[The dragon in the woods…](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21096764/chapters/52250308)”


	21. Healing Friendship

**A different story**

_Friday December 12th 2014_

**Healing friendships**

**“**The lion and the mouse? Really?” Lilly smirked at Henry.  
“Don’t look at me, I didn’t make it up. This is just what happened in that reality,” Henry argued.  
“I’m just glad you didn’t roast me,” Emma chuckled.  
“Yeah, me too. You think that Alexandra and I will be friends too?” Lilly mused.  
“I don’t know. It won’t be easy sneaking both princesses to the woods for playdates on a regular basis, though once the three of them can read or write you two could become pen pals at least,” Emma reasoned.  
“I don’t know if I like how many secrets you have to keep, even from us,” Snow frowned.  
“Well I think hiding my dragon friend from my worried parents isn’t as heavy on me as hiding my cool powers from my friends,” Emma assured them.  
“I think I like your friend Alexandra,” Regina offered. “She seems supportive and brave.”  
“Yeah, I like her too. The little princess is going to need friends like her on her side,” Emma agreed.  
“It’s weird though… Our Alexandra can barely talk and in this book she not only talks but she leaves people speechless…” David frowned as he tried to wrap his head around it.  
“I mean, is this what she’ll be like in our world? Or will she be different because she didn’t grow up in the enchanted forest?” he wondered.  
“It is probably better if we don’t think about it too much,” Zelena suggested already getting a headache of just the possibility. What if she finds an older version of her daughter in this book? Though she can’t imagine how this book’s Zelena would manage to get a remarried Robin to leave his new family for her even if she does convince him she’s Marian.  
“I like that we are childhood friends. But I do get the feeling that little me still has a problem with authority, even without a darkened heart,” Lilly muttered.  
“It sounds like you might find your mother a bit overbearing luv. That might have something to do with it,” Killian smirked.  
“Excuse me?” Maleficent protested.  
“No offence,” Killian promised with raised hand and hook. “But it does sound like the lass doesn’t get out of the house much,” he pointed out and no one could argue with him on that, not even Maleficent herself.  
“I suppose. In her defense, we had to fight hard to get Lilly, it’s only natural she wants to make sure she doesn’t lose hers.”  
Snow and Charming looked down in shame. They’ll never forgive themselves for what they did to Maleficent and her child.  
“I like the narration though. Pretty cool spell,” Lilly praised.  
“Thank you,” Emma and Regina chorused.  
Henry, meanwhile had gotten up and turned to the next chapter. Something about it made him smile in excitement.  
“Ready for the next chapter?” he asked. His audience nodded, curious what had the author so eager. He started the chapter and sat himself in between his mother and stepfather.  
“[Midnight in the village…](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21096764/chapters/52500829)”


	22. Different beginnings

**A different story**

_Friday December 12th 2014_

**Different Beginnings**

The chapter had been nerve wracking to the audience from the moment the girls landed in the village. Sure they knew none of this was happening to their Lilly and Emma. But they were also aware that somewhere out there was a realm where the two girls were as real as they were. And through the story the audience had come to feel fond of these versions of the savior and her friend.  
When Killian’s voice came from the book everyone sighed in relief. Everyone, except the reformed pirate himself. He ignored the muttered expressions of gratitude for his alternate’s presence from the worried parents, even the jab and beaming smile of his stepson and the look of adoration from his wife couldn’t fully ease his tension. He kept his eyes glued to the pictures appearing in the air. The tension in his shoulders didn’t let up until his alternate self got the girls off his ship and out of town. When the chapter ended he got a playful nudge from his wife.  
“All that worry for nothing. Seems you’re already tired of being a villain in this reality. Ready to turn over a new leaf even if you don’t know it yet,” she told him playfully.  
Killian smiles at his wife over the head of their boy.  
“I hope you’re right. Seems he is at least taking the first steps.”  
“He’s doing better than me. That Lilly clearly isn’t a great influence. If book Jones hadn’t been there, who knows what would’ve happened?” Lilly stated dejected.  
“What would’ve happened is that that guy was way in over his head. Between my magic and your dragon powers, not to mention the fact that Regina could check in with us at any moment. If anything being sent away by Killian was his best case scenario, not ours,” Emma objected.  
Lilly smiled appreciatively at the savior.  
“Well I think it’s hilarious that you got yourself an animal sidekick. So much for not becoming a Disney princess,” Regina smirks causing the others to laugh as well.  
“Brook is not her sidekick. I mean… Have you ever met a swan? They aren’t the cuddly type. Let alone the sidekick type,” Emma argued.  
“Yes, but you saved them. I’m sure they won’t forget that,” Snow pointed out.  
“Henry how many chapters are left?” Emma asks, trying to change the subject.  
“Next chapter is the last one of this part of the story. It seems that there are two types of collections in this book. Bridges, like this one, where we get caught up on a few key moments in the heroes’ lives. And adventures with a proper narrative, like the musical wish. The next two collections are adventures,” he tells the others, his eyes twinkling with excitement.  
“Then let’s get started,” Gold encouraged him, once more getting nervous about being away from his son for so long.  
And so, with Henry returning to his step grandmother’s side, the next chapter began.  
[“The man in the dungeon…”](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21096764/chapters/52820176)


	23. conflicted feelings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finishing up for the day, our friends contemplate morality.

**A different story**

_Friday December 12th 2014_

**Conflicted feelings**

“Wow, this chapter was kind of a downer wasn’t it?” Lilly muttered echoing everyone’s feelings about this chapter.  
“Ay, even I feel bad for the crocodile now,” Killian frowned.  
“Didn’t know you cared,” Gold jested, though no one missed the fact that he’s been holding onto his wife just a bit tighter ever since his other self was mentioned.  
David on his part felt slightly conflicted about king George. Killian might have dealt the killing blow but the king had intended for his father to die and to let his mother and him think that he had lost his battle, it had been the king who had corrupted his brother’s heart to the point where he was so resentful that he wanted to destroy him. It had been the king who was responsible for cursing his wife and poisoning his mother which had led to him losing the latter. And it had been the king who had tried to ruin his new life in Storybrooke while he was already struggling with the disappearance of his wife and daughter… And still… looking at this version of him, seeing him through the innocent eyes of a child… part of him did feel sorry for him. But he couldn’t change the man. He couldn’t change the fact that when given choices, opportunities to be good. He hadn’t chosen the path of light. He glanced towards his son in law who was absentmindedly playing with Emma’s hair.  
Killian had tried to do the honorable thing, once given the chance to be better, to be more. He had struggled and fallen, but gotten up and tried again. Why couldn’t George do the same?  
“I must say love, I’m flattered your other self is so defensive on my behalf after only two meetings,” Killian teased. Emma landed a kiss to the tip of his nose.  
“Don’t flatter yourself, she was angry because Roland was being demeaning towards her new fighting skills,” she argued with a glint in her eyes.  
“I think it had a little to do with me,” he pouts playfully.  
“Maybe a little,” she allows as she pecks his lips. “I’m happy that our alternate selves are friends. I kind of look forward to seeing the softer side of Captain Hook,” she tells him.  
“What was your other self-thinking bringing children to the dungeons though? Behind our backs?” Snow asked miffed. Belle blushed.  
“Well… If she asked they would’ve said no. And I think she wanted to do this because of the promise you made to each other. She probably thought that it might be important for the princess to know that redemption isn’t easy for everyone. She may not know about Killian or who Lilly’s mother is. But she probably thought it was important for a future savior to know that some people aren’t ready to be saved. And that some might never get there.”  
Everyone thought about that for a few moments.  
“Like Cruella,” Maleficent mutters with a slightly saddened look.  
“She loved the darkness too much, she didn’t have anything to ground her,” Regina sighs.  
Killian, Rumpel and Zelena nod their agreement. The former pirate pulled his wife closer in comfort, knowing that the woman’s demise still weighed on her.  
“Well!” Rumpel announced, breaking the heavy atmosphere that had come to rest over the room.  
“I suggest we return to our homes. It’s about time to put Gideon to bed anyway,” he informs the others, who nod, all eager to retreat for the night.


	24. Knowing the difference

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emma is no longer the only one tying up lose ends of the past.  
That evening Emma and Killian take a moment to appreciate their life together

**A different story**

_Friday December 12th 2014  
Saturday December 13th 2014_

**Knowing the difference**

“Emma!” Lilly’s voice echoed through the street, halting the small family heading home.  
“Lil? What’s up?” Emma wondered as the other woman comes to a stop in front of her, Maleficent hanging back, waiting for her daughter to return to her side before heading home.  
“I… I was thinking about not running from my problems and mistakes anymore and I was wondering…” Lilly bit her lip hesitantly glancing at Killian and Henry, who got the hint and continued their way, planning on waiting for Emma at the corner of the street.  
“I need your help,” she told Emma softly.  
“You want to get into contact with your adoptive family,” Emma guessed as she nodded in understanding. Lilly let out a sigh of relief that she didn’t have to explain herself.  
“I… I haven’t seen them in over ten years…” she admitted.  
“Don’t worry. I’m good at finding people,” she winked. “I’ll get you their phone number or email or whatever you want to use to contact them. See you tomorrow,” Emma assures her before heading to her family. “Thank you!” Lilly calls after her. Emma glances back with a smile and a shrug, indicating it’s no problem at all.  
She rejoins her true loves and they proceed to walk home, neither Killian nor Henry miss the fact that Emma is holding her head just a bit higher, her steps just a bit lighter and they are both happy that today turned out so well for her.

* * *

“You’re in a very good mood,” Killian grins as they sit themselves in the couch with a drink for the night. Henry has gone to bed early. To read ahead or to write some more to make sure they won’t catch up on him, neither knows, but they decided to let him. It was too late to watch another movie tonight and they didn’t mind some alone time.  
“Well, I have a lot to be happy about,” she smiles as she curls up at his side. Prompting him to put his left arm over her. She’s in the habit of sitting at his left so he has free movement with his good arm.  
“There are no villains threatening the town. Lilly is already making better decisions for herself and I didn’t have to take in any darkness to make that happen. I have enough pictures to fill two photo albums for my parents, and the Davies have agreed to video chat with my parents the day after Christmas. I have a glamour spell ready so they won’t see that my parents look too young and a good cover story for why it took us so long to find each other.” She takes a deep breath after that rant and as she lets it go she feels herself release the last of the tension she’s been feeling what feels like forever. She lays her head against his shoulder.  
“I have an amazing husband,” she murmurs against his skin before touching her lips to the spot between his neck and his shoulder.  
“A wonderful, talented son. I can’t remember the last time I felt so… normal. I guess. It’s a nice change of pace.”  
Killian turns to her and lays a kiss on her lips. “Glad to hear love.”  
“Not to say I won’t enjoy sailing the seas of the enchanted forest with you,” she assures him with a gentle smile.  
“I should hope so. I plan to make every second of our honeymoon memorable in the best way for you,” he grins with a wink.  
“Well… I should tell you. I have quite the trip planned as well,” she smirks.  
“And I will love every bit of it, I’m sure.”  
With that said he puts their glasses away and gathers his wife in his arms. Showering her with love and affection now that they are both free from worries and responsibilities beyond a normal day job  
and their family. They have earned it.

* * *

Saturday arrives and the family has agreed to bring brunch to the mansion. There is much speculation to the nature of this next part of the story.  
They have their suspicions based on the clues that were given in previous chapters and the drawings they already got to see, but Henry refuses to let anything slip.  
The children have joined their parents once more and prams are added to the reading room so the little ones can be put down for their naps. For now they are comfortable in their parent’s arms.  
Once everyone is settled in once more, Henry starts the next chapter before placing himself in between his aunt and mother.  
“[A baby brother…](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21096764/chapters/53045623)”


	25. Now we're getting somewhere

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And at last an epic tale has made it's way into the story. Can our heroes enjoy the excitement? Or do they already wish to return to slice of life stories?

**A different story**

_Saturday December 12th 2014  
_

**Now we're getting ** ** somewhere **

“Well, you certainly have a flair for the dramatic,” Regina chuckled.  
“You’re one to talk. That’s all your bad influence,” Snow teased, beaming with pride at her daughter’s natural leadership skills.  
“She has her mother’s charisma though,” Charming offered as he hugged his wife closer and tickled his son’s stomach.  
“And her father’s stubbornness,” Killian grinned before pressing a kiss to his love’s temple.  
“You have no idea,” Snow giggled, remembering David’s fake Excalibur ruse.  
“Speaking of dramatics though, that was an impressive entrance,” Lilly chuckles to the former witch.  
“Of course darling. Anything to outshine my sister, and in this instance, the little sunshine child herself as well,” Zelena explained with a casual gesture to the savior.  
“I hope for your alternate self, Zelena, that she didn’t harm Belle in her bid for the dagger,” Gold muttered, a slight dark tint to his tone. Zelena shifted a little uncomfortable under his stare. She knew that she had done many deplorable things in her wicked days. Not the least of which causing Balefire’s death, even if in her mind none of that was permanent. But she had made an effort to change, she was changing. It felt unfair that the dark one of all people was judging her and her alternate self for their mistakes.  
Belle gently nudged her husband, imploring him to not diminish the mood.  
“If that Belle experienced anything more than a scare, I’m sure the book would’ve mentioned it,” Emma reasoned.  
“I’m just glad we know from Little John that victims of your curse don’t retain clear memories of their time as a simian, or I’d worry for the trauma Roland must be going through,” Regina confessed hugging Henry closer. As the chapter described Roland’s actions and how the curse took hold of him, she couldn’t help but imagine Henry at that age going through these things and her heart went out to her alternate self, knowing that she was most likely going mad with worry.  
She had put in a request with Emma and Killian to see if they could visit Sherwood forest on their trip and check in on the merry men.  
She was hoping that Roland might decide to come back to Storybrooke and live with her. She missed him, even more than she thought she would.  
“He’s a strong young boy, his father would be proud,” Belle offers kindly.  
“It’s so sweet how he tried to protect little me. Must be nice to have a big brother like that,” Emma smiles fondly.  
“The little Swan clearly thinks highly of him,” Killian smiles. It was nice to know that this Emma had a big family to support her, just like his Emma did. The difference being that this alternate version was aware of this her whole life.  
“I’m rather impressed by her magical prowess. From it’s description, it seems like that magical charge was quite potent, and to unleash it using a projectile like that is quiet inventive,” Maleficent mused.  
“I’m not sure if that was on purpose, but on little me’s behalf, thanks,” Emma smiled, a little proud of the little sorceress herself.  
“I can’t wait to see how all the stiffs of the council are going to react to your big announcement.” Lilly grinned, taking just a little pleasure from the chaos.  
“I’m mostly curious how you’ll all be going to Ozz. It’s not like any of you can summon a tornado,” Henry wondered.  
“Well, you are the author. If anyone here knows, you do,” Lily pointed out dryly.  
“Well… I might have more of an idea than most of you. But I like to be part of the discussion you know,” Henry confessed, eyes gleaming mischievously.  
“How about you don’t hold us in suspense any longer lad and start the story. I eagerly await to see how the young savior befriends the wicked witch.”  
“Excuse me?” Emma casted her husband a dubious look.  
“Forgive me luv, but you have to admit, the little lass has a habit of making unlikely friends. From a dragon, to a pirate, to a lost duckling…”  
“Which has officially become your animal sidekick might I add,” Lily butted in playfully.  
“You are never going to let me live this down are you?” Emma groaned.  
“Let’s just say I will gladly memorize the lyrics to every Disney princess song ever created if I can somehow work them into casual conversation with you,” the former anti-savior grinned at her counterpart, much to the amusement of the rest of the room.  
“Henry, please start the next chapter,” Emma pleaded with her son.  
Still chuckling the young author took pity on his mother and resumed the story before settling in with her and the pirate captain.  
“[A way to Ozz](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21096764/chapters/53281243)…”


	26. A long way since

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Killian's alternate selve finaly meets David's our audience can't help but be amused.

**A different story**

_Saturday December 12th 2014  
_

**A long way ** ** since **

The audience is wiping away the mirth from their eyes.  
“This is way more entertaining than it has any right to be,” Zelena states. “But by ozz is it funny to see you actively trying to get under the king’s skin.”  
“We’ve come a long way since our first encounter… Though I’ll be honest, I was genuinely worried you wouldn’t give me your blessing,” Killian admitted.  
“I wasn’t in a great headspace at the time. Thanks again for keeping me from making a big mistake.”  
Killian scratched behind his ear awkwardly. “Of course mate. I wouldn’t wish a life of vengeance on my worst enemy,” he confesses seriously before looking up with a teasing wink. “Besides I owed you one. Wanting to prove you wrong was almost as much of a motivator to become a better man as being someone Emma could lean on was… Almost.” Emma smiles back at him fondly. If not for the teenager in between them she would kiss him.  
“Seems that’s still the case. He’s already a better man as far as I can tell, but he seems to enjoy proving that he’s changed for the better at every turn,” David muses.  
“Well, let’s hope that he can truly prove himself in the king’s eyes on this adventure,” Snow pipes in.  
“Oh, I’m sure there’ll be ample opportunity for the pirate to show his true colors,” Rumpel predicts.  
“The question is how is this king Charming going to respond to that.”  
After a moment’s silence Emma speaks in a decisive tone. “He’ll agree that Killian is a good man at heart.”  
David nods firmly in agreement. “Sooner or later he’ll have to. I think that the reasons why I disliked Killian in the beginning are the same as why he grew on me. We’re a lot alike.”  
“Pardon?” Killian is baffled. That’s the last thing he expected David to say.  
“Honorable, family oriented fighters,” David elaborates. “Everything you have ever done was out of love for someone you cared about. You closed your heart off from caring about anyone but yourself for a while after your heart was broken. But once you opened it up again life once more became about living for those important to you. You don’t give up on what you want to achieve, at least not without an extremely good reason. And even when you were living only for yourself you believed in holding yourself up to a standard.  
When we met, I looked at you and soon I saw the similarities, and in that I saw how easily I could become you. Add to that the fact that you clearly were after my daughter, who I just got back… There was no chance I would not hate the very sight of you at first.”  
Killian nods as David explains this. He doesn’t have a daughter, but if he and Emma should ever be blessed with one he can imagine that he wouldn’t respond much kinder to her suitors.  
“But like I said. Once I realized that you were making your way back, I started to appreciate you for these very same qualities.”  
Killian grins. “Told you I’d win you over. And it’s only a matter of time before my other self wears the king down. You’re stubborn mate, but I grew up with a stubborn ass and I still got my way every once in a while.”  
The group laughs at that.  
“So we can expect to see the charming pirate bromance start anew in the coming chapters,” Regina smirks.  
“Charming Pirate?” Killian wonders as he exchanges a glance with David who shrugs.  
“Ah, she heard that from me,” Snow admits. “The kids have cute nicknames for certain people and I overheard. I might have mentioned them to Regina while we were preparing the wedding.”  
Everyone sits up in interest at that, except for Henry who holds back a chuckle. He has heard of the nicknames as well.  
“Now I’m curious… What kind of nicknames are we talking about?” David presses.  
“Well it’s mostly a short way to address two people who they see spend a lot of time together,” Snow elaborates. “So first of, obviously, for couples. Snowing,” she gestures between herself and David.  
“That’s adorable,” Belle gushes.  
“I thought so too. You and Gold are Rumpbelle and Emma and Killian are Captain Swan.”  
Emma frowns. “That kind of sounds like I’m a captain,” she objects.  
“It’s perfect,” Killian argues. “It’s us,” he adds as he reaches over to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear.  
“Do I need to give you two a moment?” Henry teases, to which Killian ruffles his hair playfully.  
“Oh that reminds me!” Snow exclaims, causing Henry to tense.  
“Regina mentioned Charming Pirate as a name used for the friendship between you and David. There’s also a name for you and Henry.”  
“Really?” Killian asks surprised. Sure he’s the lad’s stepfather, but he didn’t expect the bond they’d managed to build over various outings and adventures to be significant enough for outsiders to talk about. Henry on the other was well aware of the nickname and nervously awaited his stepfather’s response.  
“Captain Cobra.” The name hung in the air for a moment.  
Emma and Killian looked at each other with beaming smiles, both approving of the title wholeheartedly. Henry smiled in relief as Killian looked down at him with pride.  
“As adorable as this is, shall we continue? I’m assuming it’ll be a chapter or two before my other self appears again, and I quite frankly can’t wait,” Zelena announced.  
Henry chuckled and went to the book to set up the next chapter. Once he had turned the page however he looked down at it frowning. He looked back at his mother and Killian and then back at the book. When he returned his gaze to the newly married couple there was determination in his eyes. He put the book down and sat on Killian’s other side, putting the pirate between his wife and his stepson.  
Emma frowned worriedly. What had Henry seen in the next chapter that made him chose to sit with them again, but have Killian in the middle? When Merlin’s voice read the title of the next chapter she leaned into her husband’s side, squeezing his hand  
[“What kind of man?…”](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21096764/chapters/53573503)


	27. Regrets and reacurances

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Killian is once more confronted with his less heroic past self. Luckily he has his family to remind him that he has the rest of this lifetime to be the man he always wanted to be.

**A different story**

_Saturday December 12th 2014  
_

**Regrets and ** **reassurance **

No one is laughing after this chapter. There are no teasing remarks or playful nudges.  
Everyone carefully glances to Killian who has his head in his hands as his wife and stepson try to comfort him.  
“I’m a monster,” he whispers.  
“None of that, you made mistakes…” Emma argues.  
“Killing people isn’t a mistake Emma. It’s a sin. One I’ve committed without a seconds thought for years. I don’t know how I keep fooling myself into thinking that just because I had a change of heart I’m suddenly absolved of all the misery I caused.” He is still unable to look at anyone directly.  
“Liam forgave you, Ursula forgave you, dad forgave you. The best way for you to make up for past wrongs is to do the right thing moving forward. Hey, look at me.”  
Emma takes Killian’s face in her hands and angles it towards her. Reluctantly he meets her gaze, it is unwavering and loving as it has always been.  
“Remember what I told you on our weddingday?”  
Killian nods unable to keep the faint smile from his face as he recalled the best day of his life.  
“That this was our happy beginning.”  
“Exactly. Our story is just getting started. We’ve both got a past, we bot made mistakes. And we both got past that. And as little me pointed out last chapter, even my parents aren’t paragons of virtue. You only think that now because you are beating down on yourself.”  
He takes a deep breath and nods. Emma is right. He knows this. But still, he wishes he could take back what he did that night.  
“Mom is right.” Killian turns to his stepson.  
“Ever since I met you, you’ve been looking after me. You taught me all sorts of things, and you are still teaching me everything you can. I feel lucky to have you as my stepdad.”  
Killian smiled and embraced his family. Thanking his lucky stars to have gotten this fresh start, this second chance.  
“I really hope we find out how things turned out in the end for them now though,” he mutters.  
“Maybe we will,” Emma offers.  
“And if not, I’ll try to find out if I can write their story separately. I’ll keep an eye out for Liam from here on out,” Henry promises.  
Killian chuckles. “I would like that.”  
“You alright Killian?” Snow wonders. The captain nods as he subtly wipes at his eyes.  
“Aye luv, just a bit of a punch in the gut from the ol’ conscious,” he assurers the others dismissively.  
“Henry lad, why don’t you get us started with the next chapter? It’s bound to be more uplifting than this one.”  
Henry nods and sets everything up as Killian envelops his wife in his embrace, breathing her in to soothes the last of the aching in his heart.  
When Henry is ready he goes to sit with his grandparents.  
[“Fi fa fo…](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21096764/chapters/53791786)”


	28. Strangely familiar

**A different story**

_Saturday December 12th 2014  
_

**Strangely ** ** familiar **

“Our first adventure together remains the same,” Killian observes with a chuckle.  
“Except this time I take you and Anton back down with me,” Emma notes, a slight tinge of guilt in her voice.  
“It’s fine luv. I don’t fault you for not trusting a pirate,” Killian assures his wife before planting a kiss in her hair.  
“I trusted you, I didn’t trust myself,” she admitted. Killian frowns at that.  
“Because of my dad,” Henry reasons slinking back in the couch a little. Charming and Snow both laid a hand on his shoulders in comfort. He still didn’t like the role his father had been led to play in his mother’s story.  
Emma nods. “I trusted Neal with all my heart. And until I met you, I never trusted anyone or anything anymore. Just proven facts and my gut. And when I met you,” her voice softens as she intertwines their fingers. “I wanted to trust you… In a way I hadn’t since Neal. And that scared the crap out of me. Especially since I still thought Neal never cared for me like I thought he did.”  
Killian is speechless. All this time he assumed that it was his status as a villain that had kept her distant. But… Emma trusted him since the beginning?  
“That’s why you were willing to trust me when I came back to you, why you looked after me when the dark one beat me into the hospital…”  
Emma nods. “After you told me you wouldn’t have abandoned me if you were in my shoes… I knew you weren’t lying. I knew that I had made a mistake and I… Well I didn’t think that you would give me a second chance, but I felt responsible for you. It was my fault you weren’t on our side.”  
Killian smirks and flicks her nose. “And so you unwittingly used your charm and womanly wiles to slowly win me over.” Emma rolls her eyes and playfully pushes him away.  
“Idiot,” she sighs.  
“Your idiot, whom you willingly married,” he informs her.  
“That I did,” she allows.  
“It’s good that you brought Anton down with you,” Snow sighs, sounding relieved.  
“You never told me how horrible it was up there.”  
“I wish I could say that you going up by yourself against all common sense surprises me,” David added. “But honestly I’d be disappointed if you didn’t at least try. I am however surprised that you succeeded. One of us should’ve caught you before it was too late. Even Red only saw you once you were already out of reach.”  
Regina nods in agreement. “I don’t understand why she bothered trying to get your attention before doing anything. And why she was being polite about it to begin with. If she’d just dragged any of us to the beanstalk with her we would’ve noticed that Emma had snuck off and all our alternate selves would’ve been spared almost a whole night of pure anxiety,” she reasoned.  
“Well, perhaps the little pup lost some of her confidence after her dear old grandmother died?” Zelena suggests. “I didn’t know her very well, but I had the impression they were rather close.”  
Snow thinks this over and nods. “Perhaps. I remember losing my mother and father both came as a shock. Both were life changing for me. If the loss was recent… That is why Emma wanted her to come,” Snow realizes.  
“She might think that an adventure is what Red needs to get her mind off of everything.”  
Everyone considered this information and nodded.  
“Well, knowing where they are headed, the princess is right,” Rumpel muses.  
“Oh, Dorothy! I forgot!” Belle exclaimed excitedly.  
“If she keeps things up at this rate then she’ll have brought about every happy ending she could before her tenth birthday,” Regina notes bemused.  
Snow, Charming and Henry send beaming smiles to the savior, who is leaning into her husband as if she wishes she could disappear.  
Killian chuckles and pulls her a bit closer.  
“Let’s find out shall we?” he suggests.  
Henry nods and after he sets up the story once again, he goes to sit with his other grandparents, though once more not next to his grandfather.  
[“Over the rainbow.”](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21096764/chapters/54061744)


	29. Surprising frienships

**A different story**

_Saturday December 12th 2014  
_

**Surprising friendships**

“Henry, is this book really implying me and captain guyliner are forming a friendship?” Regina scoffed.  
“Oh, don’t be like that your majesty. You and I both know that even you find my swashbuckling ways endearing,” he teased, his eyes twinkling playfully.  
“Perhaps the way one reluctantly grows fond of the stray dog their child insists on bringing home,” she allowed with a roll of her eyes and a dismissive gesture.  
Killian could bring up their first meeting and how fond she seemed of his dashing looks at the time, but that would violate their unspoken rule. Never mention the dark times.  
He had told Emma not too long after the curse of chattered sight along with most of his less than charming actions he could think of at the time. He didn’t want her to find out some other way and misunderstand. It was a power play on the queen’s end and nothing ever happened. Killian wasn’t stupid enough to get business and pleasure mixed. Emma was the one exception and had proven to him that getting involved with someone during a business arrangement only clouded his judgement. The last part had been meant as a mild jab he'd planned on lightening with some romantic confession of how impossible not becoming enamored with her was once she put that blade to his throat. Or even before that, when she somehow knew that questioning his courage would be the one thing that might make him lose character even for the briefest moment.  
But apparently she had already deduced as much. She’d been taken aback and showed it by letting him feel just how far they’d come.  
“Dad?” Killian looked up from his musings to his father in law and closest friend, who was slumped back in his seat with his eyes closed. He let out a deep sigh and looked back at his daughter and son in law with a wry smile.  
“I’m fine,” he assured them. “I just hope my other self won’t keep heading down this path. He might not see it, but I can tell this is only going to push Emma into creating more distance. I hate seeing that happen,” he explained.  
“David,” Snow says soothingly, but can’t quite think of the words to reassure her husband.  
“He won’t lose her dad. I mean we inherited your stubbornness, but with that comes also your relentless loyalty to our family. And from the looks of it…” Emma bites her lip for a moment before pressing onward. “It seems like she admires her dad as much as I do. It’s his approval she is hoping for more than anyone else’s.”  
David’s eyes widen at his daughters observations. She admires him? She can relate to the closeness this other Emma has built with her father despite only knowing him for less than three years. One of which was mostly spend cursed. He smiles at her fondly. Gods it’s still so incredibly strange that to him only three years had passed since he held her for the first time. Things with Neal were moving at an incredible speed, but with Emma he literally hadn’t had any time. And nothing would ever make up for it. He never got to protect his little girl the way he’d vowed to do once he learned he was to be a father, by the time they found each other again she was more than capable of doing that herself. But it seems he hadn’t been too late to become her hero. He recalled when she asked for space that first day after the curse was broken. Like Snow he’d wanted to catch up, hold her and not let go, but he’d had to be the voice of reason to temper her enthusiasm. Back then she’d told them that they did what they did because it was what was best for everyone and called it amazing. Recalling the look on her face now, it was a mix of nerves and admiration, barely daring to look at them, but pushing herself to get through the confrontation.  
Despite everything, he and Snow managed to form a close and unique bond with their daughter. And it was one he would cherish for the rest of his life.  
"For a moment there I thought you didn't like hearing that your age is already catching up with you four short years from now," Maleficent grins with a slightly sadistic glint in her eyes.  
David frowns slightly displeased but doesn't say anything. He knows they'll probably never get an amicable relationship with Maleficent and her daughter.  
Snow kisses her husband's cheek in comfort while Killian chuckles.  
"You are four years older than me in this reality Jones. In fact, you are about the same age as the king," David reminds the pirate.  
At that Killian is left gaping like a fish, going trough a brief existential crises. He hadn't really given much thought to that before now.  
Emma giggled and kissed her husband's cheek.  
"If you get worried i'm sure i can whip up some creams for you to use," she whispered teasingly, but soft enough that no one else would hear.  
Killian looked down and narrowed his eyes. "I will show you just how vital I am later tonight," he murmurs lowly.  
“Can we get on with it now darlings? I believe next chapter will be far more interesting,” Zelena sighs disinterested. She might not have heard what the two lovebirds were saying to each other but the eyes they were making at each other gave her the feeling that an addition to the Swan Jones house might not be too far off.  
“Why? Because you hope you’ll be playing a starring role?” Lilly, who’d been quite during most of the lovey dovey family bonding, snarked.  
“Obviously,” Zelena grinned undeterred. She may have lost her magic, but not her pride. She would not let this woman’s case of post redemption anxiety or whatever she was going through ruffle her feathers.  
“Zelena is right though. If we want to get through this entire story at a reasonable time we better get on with it. How many more chapters in this part of the story Henry?” Regina wondered.  
Henry gets up and goes to check. “Including the next one… just two more,” he informed them as he laid the book down and sat himself back with his mother and aunt.  
[“Courage and love…”](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21096764/chapters/54348193)


	30. Love is love

**A different story**

_Saturday December 12th 2014  
_

**Love is love**

Lilly let out a long whistle as the chapter finally concluded. “That was a lot!”  
The rest of the audience nodded in agreement.  
“It seems though, that his majesty is warming up to me,” Killian smiled satisfied. Sure his and Dave’s relationship was bound to be different in this world, but seeing how every strained interaction between their alternate selves caused his mate to flinch back with remorse for his former animosity towards the pirate captain made Killian hope that their relationship in this other world would soon improve, that his alternate self would soon prove his intentions to the king.  
David smiled appreciative at his son in law and friend. Gods the dynamics in this family are so strange.  
“I wonder if you shower your other pupils with such lavish gifts captain, or is Emma special?” Maleficent mused, causing Lily to roll her eyes. As if she was going to feel left out on behalf of her other self. She had zero connection to the pirate other than that he was her childhood friend’s husband. She had zero connection to anyone other than Emma and her mom. Unless you counted the still tumultuous feelings she had towards the Charmings.  
“Well, for her seventh he got her a ribbon. Her eight birthday was just a milestone for a princess so he got me something special. And I’m sure Roland and Lilly don’t lack in tokens of his appreciation for their friendship. His memory of them in the last chapter was very fond,” Emma reasoned.  
“I do like his choice in gifts though,” Killian muttered absentmindedly taking note of the description of the cutlass. He hadn’t had much opportunity to shower his Emma with tokens of his affections. Until recently he sorely lacked the funds to do so. Granny had been willing to take some of the treasure he took from the Jolly as compensation for his stay and his meals before he moved in with Emma. But not everyone in town was as accommodating. He’d been relieved when the jewelry store was willing to exchange a bedazzled tiara for the ring he’d picked out for Emma.  
Now that he had a ‘real’ job he planned on putting aside some of his money to spend on her like he’d always wanted to.  
They’d been together for over a year now. Their anniversary being the day he’d initially intended to propose. There’d been a plan. A quite dinner with just the two of them, ignoring the immediate threat for a bit. Reminiscing about their shared past. Then he’d tell her about where he got each of his rings pretending to be leading to talk about his brother’s ring that still hung around her neck. Then he’d joke about how she reacted when he gave it to her and she’d apologize for freaking on him or something along those lines. He’d tell her that she could make up for it by not freaking out now. Then he’d get down on one knee and propose. Sadly circumstances hadn’t allowed for things to go as planned. And with everything else going on they never got around to properly celebrating together at all.  
In their entire relationship they’d had exactly three months and one week where there wasn’t a crisis threatening their happiness. And sure maybe they were just in a break between threats again, but he didn’t care. Even if the rest of his life would be nothing but battles for their life together then he was fine with that. So long as he had her by his side.  
He would however make sure to celebrate every day of peace they did share. And he would do anything to ensure that his wife was truly happy. That, after all, was the vow he made.  
“I’m glad Ruby went after Dorothy. They both deserve to be happy,” Emma sighed as she leans into her husband’s embrace. Everyone else was in agreement with that statement.  
“You are quite the determined little matchmaker. I wonder if you are going to find all your friends their perfect partners as well…” Zelena smirks slightly to herself as she wonders this. It wasn’t so long ago that she despised Dorothy and the thought of her finding any kind of happiness. But now she could see that the girl had earned herself a break from misery.  
“I just hope she won’t be too distraught after this. The past three days have been quite intense,” Belle observed with a frown.  
“My mom is stronger than that. She’ll get through this just fine,” Henry stated confidently.  
Emma blushes at her boy’s praise of her.  
“Still between the sight on the beanstalk, watching her father die and getting kidnapped by a flying monkey… It’s been quite the trial. And it’s not over,” Regina mused. Sounding worried for the young princess. Snow frowns at that and leans into her husband. How they wished the book would’ve told them that nothing interesting happened in Emma’s life until she was much older. Can’t their baby ever just be happy?  
“I’m sure the princess will bounce back from this. With the relentless support her family and friends seem to provide, she is in good hands,” Rumpel offers, making everyone who’d been slightly worried over this relax some.  
“Just one more chapter right? Let’s see if it’s any good,” Zelena suggests, trying not to show that she feels a little worried for her other self. Sure in this world she was responsible for Neal’s death, among many other terrible things, and she could tell that her nephew was still a little hesitant around her, not to mention the fact that Rumpelstiltskin would still glare at her every now and then with murder in his eyes. But crushing the king’s heart in front of his daughter, even if it didn’t stick… Would this other version of her even be given a chance to join the family she now truly wanted to be accepted into? She’d been so resistant to change, so sure that it wasn’t in the cards for her…  
Regardless of what this other world had in store for her, she was sure the next chapter would show them.  
Henry grinned eagerly as he put on the next chapter. The epic conclusion to this version of his mother’s first big adventure was about to unfold. Having sat twice with mostly everyone in the family today already he chose to spend this last chapter with his mom and stepdad. He'd be spending the next week with his other mom so he hoped she'd understand.  
["The fight for family..."](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21096764/chapters/54598153)


	31. The truth about forgiveness

**A different story**

_Saturday December 12th 2014  
_

**The truth about ** ** forgiveness **

“You still took me in,” Zelena mused surprised as the room fills with silence.  
“Of course,” Snow smiles encouragingly.  
“Don’t say it like it’s nothing. She killed your husband and kidnapped your son. It’s not normal to turn around and say: well that’s fine as long as you don’t do it again. This isn’t stealing a candy bar,” Lily argues, frustrated, because it isn’t fair that the Charmings don’t get mad with people who try to ruin their lives. If they forgive and forget, then being mad at them for what they did to her makes her in the wrong. And she still didn’t feel like she wasn’t right to be angry with them. Maybe trying to kill them wasn’t the right call either, but she was definitely right about being mad.  
“It isn’t. Forgiveness never is. She will have to work on earning our trust and earning her own place in the family. But for her to change for the better, they all need to take a leap of faith that she can,” David explains.  
“I only started to be better after I started to feel like Snow and David were genuinely thinking of me like, I belonged with them. When I didn’t think they’d turn around, bind my magic and throw me in a dungeon, despite deserving it. The same goes for the other Regina. And she sets a president. They have redeemed one villain who was after their happiness and it paid off, so they are willing on trying again,” Regina added.  
Lily frowns at that. She’d only started to believe she could be better after repeatedly being shown that her mother and Emma believed that she could be. When Emma got ready to potentially sacrifice her own happiness to give her a fair chance she knew for sure and got the courage to turn down the easy road. They were right… And if you looked at it like that, then forgiveness wasn’t something you just did for others, but for yourself as well.  
It was maybe a little ridiculous that it’d taken her over 30 years to learn that, but better late than never right?  
“Zelena, please tell me he wasn’t like that all the time,” Regina asked her sister. Zelena shrugs it off, not wanting to comment. She catches the looks of pity from the Charmings and… Understanding from the savior. Neither said something, it was just this silent exchange of people who understood what it is like to be despised by someone you have to rely on for survival.  
The pirate hugs his wife closer and once again Zelena is surprised to find not pity but empathy on another face. Maybe… Maybe one day she’ll be ready to talk with them about her experiences. Misery loves company after all. And Dr. Hopper, may no one ever find out she actually went for a session with him, said that for her, it might be more helpful to talk to someone who understood.  
Killian kisses the top of his wife’s head in comfort. He has heard about the awful things that could happen in those homes. There are places she didn’t even bother to contact because she didn’t want to ever even think about them again. The stories behind those places made him want to track those people down. Show them what happens when you messed with his family. Suddenly he feels someone's eyes on him. He looks up and finds the Dark one staring at him in contemplation.  
“Something the matter mate?”  
“He didn’t use it.”  
That got everyone’s attention.  
“Your other self, he had the dagger. He could’ve made me do anything he wanted. He could’ve escaped with him and put him through endless torture… But he didn’t.”  
The astonishment in his voice is not to be missed.  
“Well… your other self didn’t kill me either when given the chance. He held back.” Come to think of it, he’d done that when this happened in their story too.  
“Because he thinks he can still use you. In our time I needed you to help the other heroes defeat Zelena, get my dagger back. I have no doubt that he foresees that if he does away with you, he won’t get his happy ending.”  
Killian thinks about that and can’t help a smile. “Babe?” Emma wonders.  
“I just thought… if he needs me to get Bea back… Maybe…” He doesn’t really know how to formulate the thought, but Emma understands. She smiles and squeezes his hand.  
“I’m sure he and Bea will make amends,” she assures her husband. She really wishes Killian and Neal got a little more time to mend their bond instead of wasting it fighting over a woman who wasn’t concerned with her own love life at the time. Sometimes she imagines how nice it would be for Henry to have his birthfather around and for him to be good friends with his stepfather. She would imagine the two of them at a Sunday brunch entertaining everyone with tales of adventures in Neverland. Or taking Henry sailing for an afternoon. All beautiful might-have-beens she wishes she could offer her husband and son. But life had other plans. She was still a little mad with Zelena, but hearing the story from Belle, he had been warned. He had just been too stubborn. He of all people should have been suspicious of the magic he was about to use.  
“I hope little Emma is done being a savior for a while.” Belle’s statement pulls Emma out of her musings.  
“Me too,” Snow sighs. “She looks like she’s handling it well, but…”  
“But how much more can she take,” David finishes.  
“Well,” Killian gets up from his seat, pulling Emma with him. “We’ll have to find out tomorrow. I promised to take some of the youths out sailing on the Jolly. And you,” he looks at Henry. “Promised to be first mate for the day.” Henry nods eagerly. He always looked forward to sailing on the Jolly and helping to teach the former Lost Boys how to sail sounded like an awesome adventure.  
“We probably should be going,” David agreed.  
They packed their belongings and left the reading room, purposefully not trying to think about what else the book has in store for their alternate selves.


	32. The wind in your sails

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Lily prepares to make amends with her adoptive family, the Jones family prepares for an important change in their lives as well.

**A different story**

_Saturday December 12th 2014  
_

**The wind in your sails**

Lilly sat in front of the computer biting her lip.  
She had decided to write a mail to the Pages. That way she could include Emma’s explanation for her past behavior in the attachments. Doctor Hopper, aka Jiminy Cricket, had helped them find a real life affliction that could explain her behavior to them in a way that would make sense to people who don’t know about magic. He’d been apprehensive at first but they’d made a good case that if they told the truth, then it could endanger the whole town even if the Pages believed them. Especially if the Pages believed them. And it wasn’t a lie entirely. Lily had been afflicted by something from birth that affected her ability to make good decisions and she recently had started a treatment of sorts that seems to be working. The real affliction was just not something they could tell them about. It also had to be a real disorder in case they wanted to look it up themselves. Which they might to ensure that she isn’t lying again. Even with the explanation by a ‘medical professional’. Not that she could blame them for being extremely suspicious of her. Not after everything. But she hoped that Emma was right, that they still cared, possibly were worried for her.  
“Are you alright darling?” her mom asked worriedly. Lilly smiled at her.  
She had loved her adoptive parents, but perhaps because of her afflicted heart she hadn’t felt… Right. She felt better now. Complete. The way she’d only felt when Emma was around in the past. Which was probably partly caused by the fact that she was holding Emma’s darkness within her.  
Maybe, reconnecting with them now she could fix some things. If they wanted anything to do with her.  
“Yeah… They’re going to be furious.” She felt her mother rest her hands on her shoulders in support.  
“You don’t have to do this…”  
She shakes her head firmly. “No I do. Ignoring my mistakes, running away from them… That is something past Lily would do. I want to… I want to give them the chance to forgive me. If they want. And maybe, maybe I can forgive myself once that has happened.” Another squeeze in her shoulders encouraged her to get typing. Enough stalling. Time to be better.

* * *

“You boys be careful alright? I don’t want an army of angry parents at my door,” Emma muttered against his lips as she prepared to leave. The boys could arrive any moment and she decided that this was a girls not allowed type of outing. Just as well, he supposed. If she stayed he wouldn’t be able to pay as much attention to the boys as he should. His elation at calling her his wife and seeing his rings on her finger had yet to subside, he doubted it ever would, but perhaps he would get better at not wearing it on his face every second of the day at some point.  
And besides, Emma had arranged a very important meeting with Regina this afternoon pertaining their future plans. A meeting that couldn’t wait another day.  
“Always,” he promised her with a quick kiss. “I have your boy to look after me after all,” he grinned.  
“Well… I suppose it’ll be alright then. If Henry keeps an eye on you,” she allowed reluctantly as she smoothed out the fabric of his shirt, still not leaving.  
“You two are too much,” Henry jested with a roll of his eyes, turning to look out over the docks, leaning against the bulk.  
“You’ve had plenty opportunity to object lad. You even bore witness to our official union. So no take backs now,” Killian teased as he pressed a final kiss to Emma’s temple and finally let go of her.  
From the corner of his eye he could see the lad shake his head with a smile.  
“Tomorrow I’m going to treat you to something special,” Emma whispered. “For dinner,” she specified as she saw the twinkle in his eyes.  
“Alright, I’ll take care of dessert then,” he promised with a wink. She smiled and pecked him on the lips before leaving. He watched her go until she was completely out of sight a blissful smile on his lips and the sea breeze tugging at his hair and clothes. Eager to carry the ship to the next adventure.  
The Jolly was ready to go as was Henry. They were just waiting for their guests.  
Maybe, if today went well, this could become a weekly thing of sorts. Teach the boys some discipline, some skills. For today, the parents had asked him to just take the boys out for a few hours. A round around the bay and a snack on one of the nearby islands. Really it was just a small piece of land jutting out with sparse greenery, but it was a fine spot to one day lead the boys to for a treasure hunt… He halts his train of thought there. Not today. Today they had to see if they can behave themselves. Then they can work their way up towards sailing lessons and then small adventures. Maybe they can take them out camping along with a few more adults. Surely Dave would be up to assisting him in sword fighting lessons…  
And then they could open their trips up for more children. A bit like the scouting groups Emma once told him about. She said she always wanted to join one, but never could because she never stayed long enough.  
He smiled at the thought. Wouldn’t it be grand to have Emma help him start one such group here in Storybrooke? To give the young residents the feeling of comradery and accomplishment she had longed for as a little girl?  
He could imagine it. Making up rules for earning unique medals that indicated they’d mastered a useful skill successfully. Sitting in front of a group of eager youth’s telling them the tales of their adventures together around a fire...

* * *

“Ahoy captain!” He looked up from his musings and grinned at the group approaching the Jolly, the young Dennis in the lead.  
“Ahoy there mates! Welcome aboard the Jolly Roger!” he announced with a flamboyant bow, making his long pirate coat swish with the motion.  
“Finest ship in all the realms!” he added never able to pass up an opportunity to praise his Jolly. What could he say? He liked to brag about those he loves. And since he couldn’t exactly brag about his wife right now, the Jolly and Henry would have to do for today. He was planning on praising the lad until he died of embarrassment. That was part of the course for a step dad wasn’t it?  
“Captained by the finest captain and his exemplary first mate,” he added as he wrapped his arm around Henry’s shoulders to pull him closer, grinning down at him. Henry’s cheeks flushed a faint red already. This would be fun. A good bonding experience for the both of them. They hadn’t had many of those without threats hanging over them.  
“We’ll be ready to cast off soon, so get comfortable.”  
“Aye Aye Captain!” the boys chorused, their eyes alight with eagerness.  
Killian grinned and let go of Henry. “C’mon lad, the sea awaits,” he urged him on.  
They made quick work of the last preparations and soon they were on their way. The other boys quickly surrounded Killian and barraged him with questions, which he answered with a smile as he steered the Jolly and directed Henry to adjust the sails.  
When one of the boy’s from Henry’s class, Vincent, asked if he ever fought a kraken Killian grinned and called out to Henry to take the helm and once he instructed him on their course he led the boys to the deck where he recounts with flourish a fierce storm and a battle to the death that the legendary creature lost. Henry knew the story, Killian had told it to him during the ice queen crisis to distract them both from their worry over Emma’s latest challenge. So he understood why the other boys hung on Killian’s lips and insisted he told them another story.  
This time they wanted to hear about his adventures in Neverland, since hey only knew the versions they were told by Pan and a few bits and pieces they saw themselves. Killian obliged.  
He told them about a few skirmishes with mermaids and the fight to cure Henry’s grandfather of dream shade poisoning.  
Henry knew that this trip was meant to entertain their guests. Still he wished that Killian would be paying more attention to him. It’s childish, he knew that, but sometimes he wished he didn’t have to share his family with the whole town all the time. And Killian… Well he was the closest he ever got to experience to having a father. Robin had been nice enough, but Henry had never gotten around to really getting to know him.  
Killian was his stepdad, the one who would be teaching him how to be a man. He’d already taught him much. Helped him out with Violet any chance he got and made sure he ate healthy and got out of bed in time, nagged him about shores and good form. Henry liked it. He’d missed that when he was younger and now he had to look at all these other kids, who had fathers of their own now mind you, practically elbowing their way to the front of the line to get his stepdad’s attention.  
It just wasn’t fair.

* * *

When the island approached Killian finished his last story and helped Henry lay anchor. Once they set foot on dry land Killian thrusted a cutlass into Henry’s hand.  
“What do you say we give the boys a demonstration of a proper sword fight?”  
“Hey! You were taught by captain Hook?!” Dennis exclaimed. “No wonder you beat me, not fair!” he pouted.  
“Actually the lad and I hadn’t been formally introduced before Neverland, he knew off me but we hadn’t exchanged pleasantries yet, right lad?”  
Henry nodded. “Yeah, last I saw of you at that point was when you nearly killed my grandfather.”  
“It seems I never managed to make a good first impression on any member of your family. And yet…”  
Henry grins as he saw Hook show of his wedding ring before getting into position again.  
The physical, tangible proof that Killian Jones was now part of Henry’s family. It eased the knot that had grown in Henry’s stomach on the way here a little.  
“You wore us down in the end,” he grinned before setting in an attack.  
“Good form lad,” Killian praised as he blocked the charge, and soon they set in a playful match under the loud cheers of the lost boys. They were all cheering for Kilian, but Henry didn’t let that deter him.  
“Good lad, eyes on the sword,” Killian instructed. “Watch your legwork lad, that’s it,” he praised as Henry adjusted his stance to be more balanced.  
In the end the more experienced fighter had his opponent flat on his back. Killian chuckled as he sheeted his sword and offered Henry a hand to get up, which he took. The crowd was cheering for Killian, but his stepdad paid them no mind. He grinned down at him and clapped him on the shoulder. “Excellent work lad. That’s a firm grip you got that and your thrusts have become more precise since our last duel,” he praised, making Henry blush.  
“Thanks,” he mumbled, which earned him another firm pat on the back.

* * *

“Will you teach us?”  
“Can I have a turn with the sword!?”  
Their bonding moment was abruptly ended with the barrage of questions of their audience. Killian raised his arms and quiets the masses with a gesture.  
“While I would love to teach you all, I can’t without your parent’s permission. Henry’s mothers both told me that I could let him use a real blade. Maybe some other time,” he assured them.  
They ate a quick afternoon snack and before Henry knew it they were headed back home.  
This time Killian had Henry at the helm from the start while he told the others different stories. Stories about Henry, like when he came to save him from the Nautilus. Or how he was the sole reason the lost boys weren’t still trapped in the orphanage of the false story Isaac wrote them.  
Henry felt like ten feet tall at all the praise he received.  
Soon they arrived at the harbor and Killian enlisted the help of all the boys to dock the Jolly, instructing them patiently on what they needed to do and left Henry in charge of double checking all the knots and sails.  
The families were waiting for them on the docks and already calling out. Henry looked up as he walked down the gangplank and saw his mom’s yellow bug parked with her leaning against it. She was too far away for him to see her face but it seems like she was trying to spot him amongst the youth on the ship.  
He waved to her before checking if the ship was properly secured. Around him the others were greeting their parents. Killian already left the ship to greet his mom.

* * *

“He has to be nice to you you know?”  
Henry looked up with a frown. It was Dennis who spoke to him. The look in his eyes superior at first glance, but there was a quiet anger Henry thought might be jealousy underneath the surface.  
“What do you mean?” he asked, though he knew he probably shouldn’t indulge him.  
“You’re his wife’s kid, he has to make you think he likes you,” Dennis clarified.  
“What do you know about that? Killian made me best man at the wedding. He wants to be a family with me and mom.” Henry smiles as he recalls the look on Killian’s face when he asked if he considered him family on the Nautilus.  
“Maybe, for now.”  
Henry let out a frustrated sigh at the other boy’s ominous tone.  
“How’s that?” he muttered as he got up and turned to see if his mom and Killian were heading his way yet. They weren’t. He spotted them standing at the bug, Killian’s hands on his mom’s waist, Emma’s arms around his neck, gazing into each other’s eyes as they talk about something.  
Dopey grins on their faces that he is starting to get used to. He’s happy they make each other look like that. Even if he was starting to understand why his mom and Roland’s alternate selves seemed to find their parent’s true love behavior a bit much.  
Then again he can imagine that his classmates find him and Violet a bit gross at times.  
“What do you think’ll happen when your mom gets a new baby? Especially if it’s a boy?” Dennis grinned cruelly as he muttered this in his ear. “Just look at them. I give it a few months before they replace you.” With that Dennis sauntered of to find his parents.  
Henry tried his best to forget the other boy ever said anything but as he walks over to the car he couldn’t help but think back to how his grandmother had casually told Emma and Killian that they would know the sacrifice is worth it _when _they have a baby.  
Sure they’d been flustered and hadn’t been able to look at one another at the time, but what if that had led to talk about children later in the evening? Or sometime during the last week? It was something that people did after they get married. So it wasn’t a complete surprise that it came up. He just hadn’t expected it to be this soon… Honestly he wouldn’t mind a little brother or sister. He actually always wanted siblings… But he and Killian were still kind of figuring this stepdad stepson thing out. What if he hears he’ll have a real son soon? Surely he’ll want to pay more attention to his own flesh and blood rather than him…  
Henry shook his head. They’d never make such a life changing decision without mentioning it to him right? And even if they were expecting, Killian wouldn’t forget all about him if…  
“Henry lad! Get your head out of the clouds, your mother asked you something.” Henry looked up. He hadn’t realized he’d reached the bug. Let alone that Emma had talked to him.  
“Sorry…” he muttered embarrassed.  
“That’s alright lad, you’ve worked hard today. One can forgive a sailor for having his mind on a hot meal and warm bed after a journey out at sea,” Killian grinned with a pat on his back.  
“What do you want for dinner?” Emma smiled as she repeated her question.  
“Oh, um… Can we have fries and burgers?” he asked hesitantly, not sure if he’d get away with junk food two days in a row. Killian especially was extremely vigilant when it came to his and his mother’s diets. Growing up on the seas he knew the importance of not eating well balanced meals, or so he’d explained himself.  
“You heard your boy Swan! Fries and burgers it shall be,” Killian announced, still grinning widely. Henry realized two things in that moment. One, Killian kept referring to him as Emma’s boy, or son, or lad. Never as ‘theirs’. A fact he probably wouldn’t have cared so much about earlier that day. And second, he was wearing an ‘I just received good news’ smile. Was it already happening? Were they eating what Henry wanted because they had some big news to tell him?  
Henry thought about this all the way home as he half listened to Killian recounting the day’s events with excitement. He caught his mother glancing between Killian at her side and back to Henry in the rearview mirror with a happy smile he managed to return. He promised himself he’d be happy for them when they told him the news.

* * *

When they got home his mom told him dinner would be ready in an hour or so and he went to his room to write some more. He finished of one extra chapter when Killian knocked on the door.  
“Lad, may I have a minute?” he asked almost timidly. His previous excitement significantly toned down.  
Henry nodded with a confused frown.  
“Listen, I might’ve seemed a bit distracted today, but as I’ve told your mother numerous times, I’m quite perceptive and I can’t help but feel like you are in a bit of a sour mood after our outing today. I hoped our swordfight had lifted your spirits, but… Look you know that I gave you all these tasks because I trust you with such responsibility right? I didn’t intend to…”  
“Oh, no that’s not it,” Henry hurried, a bit shocked that Killian would think he disliked sailing the Jolly with him.  
“I… I just kind of wanted to listen to the stories as well I guess.” No point in telling him about the strange type of possessiveness he felt towards his family lately. Not if it might put a damper on the good news. The relief on Killian’s face made Henry glad that his mom wasn’t here to call out the lie.  
“Well, know that I’ll gladly entertain you with a private reiteration of any of my adventures lad. And don’t worry, next time, I’ll be sure to have some of my old crew with us so you can take a break to join the activities on deck.”  
“Next time?” Henry asked. This wasn’t a one time thing?  
“Aye, today was meant as a practice run. We, that is our quite extended family and some of your grandparent’s old allies are planning to organize a youth group to offer the children and teenagers a past time that might teach them important skills and build character. Not everyone gets to go on exciting adventures at the age of ten to make them a hero in their own right.” Killian stressed that last statement by ruffling Henry’s hair much to the teenager’s protest. But it did put Henry’s mind at ease to hear the pride in Killian’s voice as he called him a hero after being told that his entire family had taken it up on themselves to entertain the younger generation of Storybrooke citizens.  
“Be assured lad, I shan’t ever allow you to feel left out again.” The sincerity in Killian’s voice made Henry feel guilty that he ever doubted he cared for him. So what if he didn’t outright call him his son? Killian was still the best thing that had happened to his family since the curse broke. Or at least very close to his mother’s redemption.  
“Now,” Killian stated as he got up. “I believe dinner is about to be served. Want to help me with the plates?” Henry grinned up at him. “I can lend you a hand,” he teased. Killian rolled his eyes good naturally. “You and your mother both, hilarious.”

* * *

They set the table and Henry didn’t miss the fact that Killian put out wine glasses for him and Emma. So there wasn’t a baby on the way right now. Good, that gave him a bit more time to get used to the idea.  
They ate and Henry observed them as they talked about work and tried to see if the other would drop hints on honeymoon destinations. Nothing indicated that they were getting ready to make a big announcement. Had he read the situation wrong?  
Just as he was convinced that he had just been seeing things due to what Dennis said the adults at the table stopped their conversation. Henry looked up, feeling the nervous energy in the room.  
Emma was holding onto Kilian’s prosthetic and Killian was scratching at his ear with a shy sort of smile.  
“Henry,” his mom started gently. “Killian and I have been talking…”  
“I think I should be the one to make the request luv,” Killian stopped her.  
“Lad… We’ve gone through a lot, and I know that you weren’t always my biggest fan,” Henry was about to protest, but Hook stopped him with a gesture of his hand. “And that’s alright. You just had your family back and lost your father, remembering him all of a sudden probably made the loss feel fresh. And then, not hours later, there I stand. A man you barely knew, one you know was a villain at one point and while I had mended my ways, I was an intrusion none the less. No matter the bond of comradery we’d managed to grow before you got your true memories back, or how fond I’d become of you, I was an outsider making my way in uninvited… But I’d like to think that since then, you and I have grown closer. And now that your mother is officially my wife,” he paused a moment to beam at Emma before turning back.  
“There is something else I’d like to make official.” Wait… He wasn’t saying…  
“With your permission lad, I would like to formally acknowledge you as my son.”  
Henry was speechless. Killian wanted to adopt him?  
“Is… Is mom okay with that? My other mom I mean,” he asked to buy himself a moment.  
“I got her blessing while you two were out today. We didn’t want you to run in on us before we were sure this wouldn’t cause drama, so we waited with that conversation until we were sure you were far away,” his mom explained. She reached down and got something out of the messenger back she’d hung over the chair. When she laid the items in front of him she saw that it were very official looking papers with ‘adoption’ in bold letters in the heading. This was really happening.  
“All it needs are a few signatures. But we wanted this to be something you wanted,” Emma explained as she wrapped an arm around a nervous looking Killian.  
The silence continues as Henry realizes how stupid he was for ever worrying. Killian didn’t call him _his _son because he wasn’t sure if it was something Henry was okay with. He was now asking him his blessing on the matter.  
“I need you to know that I don’t expect you to address me as father or anything like that, ‘Killian’ is fine with me. I just… It would mean a lot to me if I could call you my son.”  
Henry nodded slowly and looked up, happy tears in his eyes. “I would like that too,” he said shakily.  
Killian let out a relieved laugh. “Truly?” he verified.  
“Yeah… I, I’m sorry if I made you feel like I didn’t. I’d love for you to be my dad,” he smiled.  
Killian got up and walked over to his side of the table to embrace him.  
“Thank you lad,” he breathed into Henry’s shoulder.  
“Thank you… For making my mom happy and for caring about me.”  
“Of course lad, how could I not?” Killian chuckled incredulously as if any alternative was too ridiculous to even consider.  
“Well this calls for celebration,” his mom smiled, her eyes full of adoration. “Anyone up for a movie?”  
Killian let go and grinned at his wife. “I am quite curious to see what adventures await the rebellion and if Solo gets the girl.”  
Mother and son keep their faces as neutral as they can while they set up the movie and prepare snacks.

* * *

There is nothing quite like watching Killian Jones watch ‘The Empire strikes back’.  
He was very much enjoying the humor and the action. He scoffed at Han’s unsuccessful attempt at getting a rise out of Leia and laughed loudly when she retaliated by kissing Luke. He was quite enjoying the friendship the two male leads were building and thus appreciated that this didn’t end in a disagreement between the two.  
“Oh come on!” He groaned as C3PO cluelessly interrupted a proper kiss between the two.  
He praised the backgrounds and chuckled at Yoda’s strange behavior. And then.  
“This is quiet the predicament,” he grinned as Han and Leia got arrested.  
“What are you smiling about?” Henry asked.  
“Well they are the heroes right? Surely Luke will save his friends, or Han will find some clever way to escape. Then again the princess might find a solution…”  
Emma and Henry exchanged a look. This was the movie famous for it’s cliffhanger ending and big twist. This part would most likely be the most interesting to see his response to.  
“Wait… They won’t kill him will they?” Killian frowned as Han was dragged from his goodbye kiss to be frozen. “Well, they don’t know if it’s deadly. That’s why they’re testing it out,” Henry explained.  
“‘I know?’ Those are his final words? No ‘I love you too’?” Killian bristles, clearly not pleased with the end for his favorite character.  
“It’s part of the scoundrel act he’s putting up in front of the bad guys,” Emma assures him.  
“He could’ve died! Villains be damned! Now was the time to tell her the truth.”  
He calmed down somewhat as Luke came to his friends aid.  
“It’s a trap though,” Emma reminds him.  
“He’s the hero, he’ll save his friends and blow up the bloody space ship in the process,” he stated dismissively, though there was a tenseness underneath.  
“Babe, it’s just a movie, you know that right?” she soothes him.  
“And I’m just a bedtime story.” Emma supposed he had a point there.  
“There you go. He escaped their trap. Now all that’s left is kill this vader character and save his friends,” Killian stated triumphantly.  
He was grinning through most of the battle. He was a fan of the lightsaber fights and spaceship battles of this franchise. Emma however suddenly recalled a detail of this particular ending that might strike a chord for Kilian and got ready to offer support should it be too much for him.  
He recoiled when Luke lost his hand but didn’t seem more distressed by that than by the protagonists near death at the start of the movie.  
Then came the final twist. “He is what?!” he exclaimed almost getting up from his seat.  
Henry and Emma chuckled. “Bloody hell,” Killian muttered breathlessly as he leaned back.  
Emma could feel him tense however when Vader tempted his son to choose the dark side, that he had no other choice but to follow him. When Luke escaped however, her husband relaxed again.  
“Wait… Where’s the rest?” he asked a little later as the end credits roll.  
“That’s it, that’s the end of the movie,” Henry told him.  
“But…” Killian frowned. “They ended it like that?” he asked.  
“Well there is another movie… but yeah for those who saw this when it came out, this would be the end for another three years,” Emma explained.  
Killian glanced at the clock. “We can watch one more movie,” she suggests with a smile.  
Killian smiles down at her and kisses her briefly.  
They watch the return of the Jedi.  
Killian goes from proud of Leia for saving her man to scandalized at her capture and subsequent treatment. The arrival of Luke and their near death throws him for another loop and he doesn’t seem willing to get comfortable again this time around.  
“They’re siblings?!” he exclaimed a bit later.  
“That’s what they just said,” Henry confirmed. “But she…” Killian insisted with a look of horror.  
“I know,” Emma nodded. “She, however, didn’t at the time,” she offered.  
He finally relaxed a little as the heroes encounter the Ewoks only to tense again as Luke once more struggles with the dark side.  
When Vader saved Luke however, her husband stilled completely for the rest of the movie. Only muttering a faint ‘good form’ in approval as Han shows willing to step aside for Leia’s happiness.  
“So, happy with the ending?” Henry grins.  
Killian swallows away the last bits of tension and nods. “Aye, it’s quiet the tale indeed. I now see why you like it so much. But speaking of stories. If you want to be awake to go back to the mansion tomorrow to read yours, you better get to bed lad. Regina will have our head if you aren’t properly rested in the morning,” he jested. Henry huffed in complaint.  
“No arguing with your stepdad Henry,” Emma smiled. Henry grinned back and wished them a good night.

* * *

“So, everything okay?” Emma asked as she ran her fingers over his scalp to provide some comfort. Killian sighed deeply, leaning into her touch. “I just… After hearing that my other self didn’t make the same choice I did, and seeing another father choose to save his son from the darkness the way my father tried… Surely it was partly out of self-preservation, but still… Back then I only saw the coward who abandoned us and replaced Liam. Now… Now I want to believe that he truly regretted what he did. And this other life… It made me think that perhaps he did.”  
Emma thought about those words for a moment. “I’m sure that if your father could see you now, he’d be proud of you. And happy that you and Liam found each other and reconnected,” she tells him. To her relief Killian nodded.  
“He told me that night, that it’s never too late to change. So I think you may be right.”  
“I know I am… you know what happens to people under the sleeping curse?”  
“Now that’s one curse you and I have been able to avoid so no,” he smirks.  
“They dream about their worst regrets. Over and over again until they are woken up. So for your father that was most likely losing his family, over and over again. He wasn’t exaggerating in the story. He really never stopped thinking about that lantern, he couldn’t if he wanted to.”  
That thought gave Killian pause. “And to ensure that he never lost sight of that, he named his son after us… He did change.”  
“And so did you. Just look at you. Captain Hook the family man,” she teases with a kiss to his cheek.  
Killian blushes at that. Family man indeed. Not for the first time he imagined adding another picture to the many that littered the house. Emma liked surrounding them with happy memories. It’s something she never could do before she came to Storybrooke.  
And he wondered, would there one day be family pictures of him, Emma, Henry and a lass or a lad with his mother’s red locks and his wife’s gorgeous eyes?  
He put the thought aside for later. Henry is barely his. This conversation can wait a bit longer. After they’ve properly settled into married life.  
“Shall we retire for the night luv?” he suggested as he nuzzled his nose in her collarbone.  
“Hmmm, you want to go to bed, or ‘go to bed’?” she asked warmly.  
“Let’s not risk traumatizing Henry and subsequently change his mind about our request. I rather like the idea of introducing him as my boy.”  
“Our boy,” Emma chided, much to her husband’s amusement. “Aye love, ours. Everything we have is ours. You own all of me Swan, you know that right?” he wondered as he gazed into her eyes.  
“Right back at ya. It’s not fair you get all the good lines though,” she huffs.  
“Well it is my lot in life to sweep you off your feet at any opportunity,” he grinned and proceeded to do so in the literal sense. “Kilian!” she hisses with a giggle as he carries her to the bedroom.

* * *

_Sunday December 14th 2014_

The next day everyone gathers after breakfast.  
“What’s this part of the story going to be like Henry?” David asked as he adjusted Neal’s t-shirt a bit.  
“An adventure, so let’s get started,” Henry grins excitedly before dropping himself on the floor leaning against the couch occupied by Lily and her mother. Both chuckled a little surprised. Perhaps it was some kind of show of good will.  
“[A new journey begins…](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21096764/chapters/54961288)”


	33. This again?

**A different story**

_Sunday December 14th 2014_

**This again?**

David once more had his face in his hands, Snow rubbing his shoulders in comfort, as he processed his other selves actions and those of the other Killian.  
"I don't think we ever properly thanked you for jumping after her," he muttered as he sat back up again, deciding not to focus on things he couldn't change. Time would tell if his other self would keep pushing Emma away or realize the error of his ways in time.  
"After being without her for a year... I couldn't bare being separated from her again," the captain shrugged as he pulled Emma closer, who responded by leaning more into his embrace.  
"Do you think this will be the dame? " Snow wondered. "What if you end up in another time? or what if you arrive in another place?"  
"Imagine that they find themselves at the moment mother gave me up," Zelena muses.  
"I just hope that Kilian is more successful in keeping me from meddling in the past," Emma sighs with a remorseful glance towards Regina. The mayor gave the savior a small reassuring smile. She understood why she did what she did now. The time she lost with Robin still stung, but she could think about it without wanting to scream at her sister.  
"Wait... This happened to you as well?" Lilly wondered in astonishment. The time traveling adventure wasn't common knowledge, only Emma's immediate family knew all the details and Lilly didn't arrive until the people of Storybrooke had plenty other things to gossip about.  
"Yep, nearly mcflied myself out of existence too," Emma nodded.  
"Damn, that must've been tripy," The dragonchild noted.  
"It was weird talking to people i knew who didn't know me, and to see Regina in full on Evil Queen mode."  
"Oh, i hope that little Emma doesn't have to see that. Hearing the stories is one thing, but actually seeing that someone you care about was once truly evil is something entirely different," Belle says wisely, recalling the times where she was confronted with Rumpel's darkest parts, forced to see that he was capable of horrible things.  
"Well this part clearly isn't holding back, so this might be a tough adventure for the young savior," Rumpel observes, causing Killian to lose composure.  
"Something funny?" he mutters lowly, not too happy with the pirate's outburst.  
"Sorry mate, i just realized. That little girl, stood in front of you and ordered you to say nice things about me," he chuckled with mirth in his eyes. After a moment of silence in which everyone pictured the scene the company let out a few collective chuckles.  
"I shudder to think what this version of the savior will be like grown up. Considering the trouble she gets up to when she's still a little munchkin sized princess," Zelena smiles.  
"Well that's still far ahead in the future. So why don't we get on with it?" Henry suggests.  
Moments later he sits between his mother and stepfather grinning up at his soon to be official parental figure as they hear Merlin's voice announce the next chapter's title.  
["No lasting impressions..."](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21096764/chapters/55129453)


	34. A painful reminder

**A different story**

_Sunday December 14th 2014_

**A painful ** ** reminder **

Regina sighed as the last words died out. Having heard the real Marian’s desperate pleas for help, she can’t fault Emma for wanting to help her, especially since she locked Emma up in the cell next to her. One day she and Zelena would have to come clean about their part in his mother’s fate to Roland. It has already been proven that keeping such things from your loved ones only ends badly for all parties involved.  
“This Tremaine woman is the worst. I don’t know which I hate more. Her past version or that bitter tramp she’s become,” Lilly huffs.  
“Tremaine was a whole different type of evil. Even amongst us villains she was of ill repute,” Maleficent recalls.  
“Really?” Bell wondered.  
“We all are driven by our own selfish goals, but Tremaine truly merely became evil for the sake of being evil. Even her own daughters suffered under her thumb, though in different manners than Ella did. And as you know, children are generally considered sacred even amongst us.”  
The villains in the room nodded solemnly.  
“She tried to hire me once to attack her husband’s ship and ensure that he didn’t make it back home,” Killian recalls, much to Emma’s surprise. “I turned her down. I had heard of her by reputation, her treatment of the serving class had made me significantly unsympathetic to her cause.”  
“You never really talked about your time before the navy,” Henry told him, looking up at his stepfather with worry.  
“It’s not something I like to recount. It’s all over now. I’m my own man, with my own family,” he grins down at Henry. The author surprises the pirate by hugging him tightly.  
“I’m sorry. I never told you this before, but I hate that these things happened to you.”  
Killian swallows back the emotions collecting in his throat and returns the hug while looking over Henry’s shoulder to his wife who smiles proudly at her boys. Emma was the only one who knew all about his past. Trough many late night conversations they’d both revealed the hardest parts of their selves to each other over the time they’d spent together. Parts Emma didn’t even share with her parents, parts he hadn’t divulged to his brother or Milah.  
This book would most likely expose certain parts of them directly or indirectly that they didn’t intend to share with present company. But they would manage, together.  
Henry’s response to this particular painful part of his past though, came as a relief. To Kilian it had been a humiliating tale he’d been incredibly self-conscious about. It had been hard for him to confess even though it had been one of the first things they’d talked about as it encompassed most of his childhood memories. Emma had been wonderfully supportive even as she shared her own recollections of homelessness, neglect and even straight up abuse during her early years.  
But like his mother, Henry hadn’t made him feel like his years of servitude were something to be ashamed off.  
He looked around and to his relief he didn’t see any of his new family look at him differently than before. Dave and Snow look at him with warm smiles, Regina and Zelena with understanding, both having suffered at the hands of parental figures as well.  
Belle smiled empathically at him and Rumpelstiltskin seemed to have gained some respect for him.  
The two let each other go and Killian ruffled Henry’s hair.  
“Did you come to me for help when you went back?” Rumpelstiltskin suddenly wondered.  
“Who else was going to be able to help us?” Emma deadpanned.  
“I’m just surprised he lived to see the end of that adventure,” Gold clarified.  
“I very nearly didn’t. But Emma knew the one way to make you stop what you were doing was to mention Bealfire.”  
Gold ‘s hand automatically went to Gideon’s sleeping form in his Belle’s arms at that.  
“That would do the trick,” he agreed sadly.  
“That, however, was also the day I realized that I would very much enjoy your friendship once you found it in yourself to forgive me. And I was right,” Killian told Belle.  
“Yes you were, but what made you think so?” the studious Duchess wonders.  
“I imagine you’ll see once our alternate selves arrive at the dark castle,” the pirate replies mysteriously.  
“You heard the man little man, hit it,” Lilly instructs.  
“Um, sure,” Henry frowns a little taken aback. He’s pretty sure this is the first time that Lilly directly acknowledges him. He gets up and sits himself in between his grandparents. More than a little excited to see what happens next.  
The book starts to glow and shows an image of a forest, a fallen tree and two figures approaching while a figure is hiding in the treetops.  
“[No first meeting](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21096764/chapters/55396078)…”


	35. Some things just can't be helped

**A different story**

_Sunday, December 14th, 2014_

**Some things just can't be helped  
**“And so history repeats itself,” Emma huffed. Some things were simply unavoidable she supposed.  
“Damn, I thought Regina was kidding with the twig thing. That’s intense,” Lilly whistled.  
“So wait, how were we supposed to meet?” Snow wondered, trying to recall the day in her mind. The moment of distraction when she’d apparently been feet away from her future daughter, the captain who kept to the shadows she now knew to be Hook. The prince and princess who seemed strangely invested in her wellbeing and knew Blue for some reason.  
It had never occurred to her to ask what the original story was supposed to be like. Had she and David had a better first meeting? Or was it even more chaotic? Did her David have a scar on his chin he won’t let her forget about that he wasn’t supposed to have?  
“Well…” Emma leaned back as she recalled the original story. “You successfully rob the carriage, dad chases you, he catches up to you and drags you off your horse, he’s shocked to see you’re a girl, you tell him you are actually a woman and punch him in the chin with a rock. You take off with the jewels and he is determined to get his ring back. From there it went pretty much as you remember. Except that there wasn’t a rescue mission, just a run-in with black knights where you almost got captured and dad saved you which surprised you, but he insisted it was the honorable thing to do. Did I forget something?” she asked, turning to her husband.  
“You know the story better than I do luv. I only recall the abridged version they recounted at the diner before we left,” Kilian reminded her.  
“Well… Then it didn’t change too much… I suppose things sometimes go the way they should,” Snow concluded, smiling fondly at her husband.  
“I kind of wish I thought of talking to Ruth when we went back though. She sounds great,” Emma mused with a sad smile.  
“She’d be so proud of you Emma, she would have loved you, I know it,” David told his daughter, his eyes glistening a little at hearing his mother’s voice again, at hearing both how sad she was to have lost him and how happy she was to know, or have hope, that he would find a bright future.  
“Thanks, Dad…” she smiled. Then she nudged Kilian. “Turns out she would’ve liked you too,” she told him proudly, but then she saw the way his expression darkened, the regret in his eyes.  
“Hey,” she started.  
“She wouldn’t be treating him so kindly if she knew what he did to her husband,” he reminded her.  
“Maybe not, but she would forgive you, because you’ve changed,” she insisted.  
He managed a smile. And she could see, that though the guilt was still present he believed her.  
“Can we get to the next chapter before those two give me cavities?” Zelena suggested with a roll of her eyes towards the couple of newlywed true lovers.  
“Alright.” Henry set up the next chapter and joined Belle and Rumpelstiltskin on their couch, making silly faces towards his uncle Gideon.  
[“I’m the savior…”](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21096764/chapters/55677508)


	36. The bonds we choose

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone,  
I hope you are all being safe as you can be. To those who have to stay home from work or school, I hope this chapter can entertain you for a little bit. For those who have to go to work to keep your country going thank you so much and stay safe. We all have to do our best to get through this crisis. There is a lot of misinformation and fearmongering and god knows what other nonsense we really could do without right now. Don't let it distract you from the important things.  
So be safe, be smart and most of all, keep each other's spirits up.  
Now, please enjoy this week's update.

**A different story**

_Sunday, December 14th, 2014_

**The bonds we choose**

“You’d think I’d remember that…” Belle frowned as she tried to recall the day this story was talking about.  
“Grandpa probably erased the encounter with mom and Killian from your memory to preserve the timeline, just in case you ever ran into either of them again,” Henry reasoned.  
Belle nodded. “That makes sense.”  
“It was a rather short chapter this time though,” Rumpel mused.  
“Aye,” Killian frowned displeased.  
“Honey, it’ll be fine,” Emma whispered, knowing that being confronted by what he perceived to be a better version of himself was nothing compared to what it would be to once again see the worst of himself. This time, most likely, through the eyes of a child version of her.  
“You don’t know that Luv. But thank you,” he said sincerely.  
She wanted to comfort him, but it really wasn’t the kind of conversation to have while in company.  
So she just leaned into him and laid her head on his shoulder, wrapping her arm around his waist in comfort. She could feel the tension leave his body and smiled gently to herself. Content that his worries were eased for now.  
“It’s funny when you think about it though,” Belle mused calling everyone’s attention to herself.  
“What is Luv?” Killian asked as he rubs Emma’s arm to further ease his mind.  
“Well…” she looked at her husband with a strangely half apologetic half warning look “You might not like this Rumpel,” she warned before turning to Killian. “Even if we got a very rough start, after all, we’ve been through together, I’d consider you one of my closest friends. If not my best friend,” she explained.  
Killian chuckled “Well, don’t feel bad Luv, women really can’t help themselves,” he teases good-naturedly as he kisses Emma’s temple. Belle rolls her eyes.  
“But seriously, everything considered, we are perfectly compatible. If you ignore your history with my husband and son for a second. You are educated, well-traveled and I know that we like the same kind of adventure books, I’ve seen you scan the shelves of the library during our breaks back when we researched the hat, Killian Jones, I know your dirty secrets.” She teases before continuing.  
“I always appreciated the arts and I’ve seen your maps on the ship so I know you have an artistic eye as well… Not to mention I quite enjoy your banter even when you are in a bad mood.”  
Killian smiled at that, not sure what to say.  
“I really hope that without the rough history, these two versions of us can become friends much sooner,” she finishes.  
“Me too,” Emma agrees as she looks up to her husband. “You deserve some friends that don’t work for you,” she explained. Killian tenderly kissed Emma to show his appreciation before looking up at his stepson.  
“What you say, lad? Want to see if they manage to get the princess to meet her prince?” he suggested. After all, the sooner they started the sooner they’d be done.  
“Sounds good,” Henry nodded as he goes up and turned the page.  
He sat with his mom, aunt, and niece when the book glowed, showing an image of a dimly lit tavern and a crowded table. The attentive eye could see two figures spying trough the window.  
“[Hustling a pirate](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21096764/chapters/56014396#workskin)…”


	37. Musings of the future

**A different story**

_Sunday, December 14th, 2014_

**The bonds we choose**

Killian didn’t look at anyone. Talk about feeling exposed.  
His entire family just got a front-row seat to witness a peek into his mind when he’s at his lowest.  
He could forgive his alternate past self for chasing down the young Emma as he clearly didn’t realize she was a child until she spoke. He could somewhat understand that, especially in his inebriated state, it seemed like a good idea to ask for Emma, or “Alexandra’s”, help. He could even grasp that taking the girl with him made sense to that man and that he’d do anything to ensure that he’d have her on her own for a little while to weave a pact with her.  
So, no, he wasn’t mad with his past self here, he wasn’t even upset with himself like both he and Emma assumed he’d be. He’d learned to forgive himself for bad decisions he made and he knew that that version of himself would become better too. He was even getting around to stomaching the fact that this alternate self had made better decisions than him in certain matters.  
It wasn’t that he minded Emma hearing these thoughts either, she already knew about most of them, but the others…  
Dave and Snow didn’t need to hear his mother’s lullaby. Regina and Zelena shouldn’t have been made aware of how much he’d always hated that people, even his own father, looked at him with fear first and trust and compassion never during the years he spent as a pirate.  
Belle wasn’t that close to him that he felt comfortable with her hearing what it’s like when his voice is wrought with self-loathing. And he especially hated that Rumpelstiltskin now knew even the slightest bit more about his and Milah’s story.  
Henry… Well, the lad shouldn’t have heard these things this way. Those were meant for man to man conversations. Private bonding moments spend on the Jolly or in their home.  
“So that’s what that song is,” Emma muses suddenly pulling him out of his bubble.  
“Pardon?” he asks.  
“Sometimes I’ll hear you hum that melody to yourself, I’m not sure if even you realize you’re doing it,” she clarifies. Killian smiles. It’s true that sometimes, when she falls asleep first, he will sing to her as a way to express how utterly in love he is with her, just for himself. And sometimes he’ll catch himself humming while reminiscing about his new home. He wasn’t aware that Emma had heard him on occasion, but he didn’t mind. He actually loved that she now understand a little bit more of how she made him feel.  
“Will you teach me the words later?”  
That question stole his breath away. It took him a moment to respond, but when the words fully settled in he offered her a brilliant smile. “I’d love to,” he whispered before planting a loving kiss to her lips. He’d love to show her just how much, but he felt like if he so much as deepened the kiss even a little bit, he wouldn’t be able to stop. His love and adoration would have to wait.  
“Do I want to know how things went when you two lived through this?” David asked with a frown on his face. Killian chuckled, grateful for the distraction.  
“Don’t worry mate. In our case, I did punch the bastard,” he assured his friend, who didn’t look too comforted by that.  
Emma can’t help her smile as she settles more comfortably into her husband’s embrace.  
“I kind of want to see if I can figure out that ring trick. Seems like it’d come in handy to have a piece of jewelry that can just, knock out opponents.”  
Henry sits up at attention as an idea strikes. “We should have a magical version of a Swiss army knife. I mean we don’t always get a nice heads up when a villain is about to wreak havoc and even when we know something is coming we are rarely prepared enough for emergencies. I mean, Killian was able to find little Emma because of the bracelet she gave him. What if she hadn’t thought of making the pellet act like a compass? He would’ve been looking for her for hours,” Henry explains.  
Kilian nods thoughtfully. “If I’d had a way to contact Emma right away when Gideon first separated us, he wouldn’t have been able to get her tears to force us apart,” he points out.  
“Having a locator potion or something of the like handy at all times is especially useful in our family,”  
Snow agrees.  
“Well, it looks like we know what we’ll be doing this week,” Zelena points out.  
“It should be a rather interesting project,” Rumpelstiltskin nodded thoughtfully.  
“I can help with the research,” Belle offers eagerly.  
“Well, now I feel like we should all chip in,” Snow muses.  
“It would probably be a good idea to look into how we’re managing the town from here on out. How much do we integrate magic in our way of life? Should citizens take precautions when on vacation and if so which? How do we stay in contact with those still in the enchanted forest?” Regina lists off, looking exhausted at the very idea.  
“We’ll figure it all out. One day at a time right?” Emma assures her friend.  
“Right!” Henry nods firmly. “But for now, how about we continue the book?” he asks.  
“Take the floor kid,” Emma nods.  
A few moments later Henry sits with Emma and Killian, watching an image of the princess and pirate’s alternate selves bowing to King Midas.  
[“The ball…”](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21096764/chapters/56304346)


	38. Not a word

**A different story**

_Sunday, December 14th, 2014_

** Not a word **

Regina and Killian were both blushing.  
“So… You ever… Had a dalliance with…” David asked, barely managing to keep in his laughter.  
“No!” Killian stated hastily, causing everyone, including his wife and stepson, to burst out laughing.  
Once everyone calmed down he clarified himself. "I had... Propositions over the years, but I know better than to mix business and pleasure..."  
He grinned down at Emma. "You were the only exception and you saw how that turned out," he murmured making his wife blush.  
"I hope Emma gets to have fun at the ball for her and her friends at least. And that this is the last time one of her special days get ruined like this."  
"Wait... How many balls are there?" Emma wonders.  
"Well, it depends on the family, but it sounds like we are the kind of parents to celebrate our children any chance we get. So an introductory ball at eight years old, then every year a normal birthday ball, but at fourteen there is a grand celebration where you are reintroduced. You make a statement about what kind of prince or princess you want to become. This is also when the suitors usually start. Then there is the coronation ball at sixteen. You officially accept the crown and if relevant introduce your chosen suitor to the kingdom. Then at eighteen your coming of age ball, to celebrate that you are old enough to take over the throne if necessary. An engagement ball and wedding ball if and when necessary, and a ball at the pregnancy announcement of each child," Snow rattled off. Going for dismissive, but she couldn't quite keep the wistfulness out of her voice.  
No one commented on it though.  
"This reminds me though, you and I never got a proper dance," David realizes with a frown.  
"Well, what if we throw a dance for new years? Enchanted forest themed," Killian suggests. "Everyone gets to dust of their capes and gowns and you get to dance with Emma and Snow as often as you want."  
Emma affectionately runs her fingers through his hair. She'd love to kiss him right now, but aside from the fact that they have an audience, their son is sat right in between them.  
"That is actually a great idea. It would be a good way to show the people that the fighting is really over," Regina muses.  
"That's all very interesting and stuff, but that sounds for a counsel meeting issue," Lilly points out.  
"Lil, are you worried about little me?" Emma teased.  
"I... Well, she's just a kid. So a little I guess," she shrugged. It's not easy, showing she cares.  
"Well, in that case, I won't leave you in suspense," Henry offered. When he sits with his grandparents, they see a figure walking through the woods appear in the air.  
"[A daring rescue...](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21096764/chapters/56612752)"


	39. What now?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everything seems to be back on track. But is it?

**A different story**

_Sunday, December 14th, 2014_

**What now?  
**"We never really talked about what you saw that night. Are you okay Emma?" David wondered, recalling how distraught princess Lea had been at Snow's fate.  
"I am. I had Killian with me too," she reassured her father.  
"You did... Killian once again, thank you," Snow smiled earnestly.  
"Anything for my Swan," Killian assured her dismissively.  
"I'm glad everything is back on track now though. I'm with other Killian. This better be the last time something goes wrong," Regina sighed. Being confronted with her father's voice again had left an impact. She hadn't expected him to return after he passed on in the book.  
Everyone turned to Emma and Killian with inquisitive stares.  
"What?" they asked in unison.  
"Is it over now?" Snow asked hopefully.  
The newlyweds chuckled. "We had a nervous moment when you ran off to the bridge without the dust, but as you might remember you turned out alright."  
This made everyone relax a little.  
"Then again, some things are different in this story," Emma pointed out.  
"We don't have Marion, and even if we did, Zelena isn't secretly following us to take her place," Killian nodded thoughtfully.  
"That's a good thing right?" Belle frowned.  
Emma bit her lip thoughtfully. "Well... I think it is. But..."  
"What about Robyn?" Zelena breathed sadly.  
"Well... Other than me, Ems and Alexandra, none of the children born in this realm after the curse breaks are the same as the ones who have been born in that realm. Considering time passed differently for those parents. So maybe you'll have a baby in this world, but it won't be her exactly. Even if Robin is still the father somehow," Lilly reasoned getting surprised stares from everyone.  
"What? I've been giving this situation thought okay? Haven't you?"  
In truth, they had. It had been impossible for Emma to talk to mostly anyone in town this past week and not consider how different little Emma saw them. Little Alexandra, in particular, had enchanted her with the idea of having grown up alongside her. Having her as a close friend and confidant.  
Snow had made a detour past Granny's yesterday because she needed to remind herself that the woman was still alive.  
Henry had ran into Hansel and Grettel, wondering how their young adult selves were doing in his new book. And what about Grace? Does her adult self like tea parties?  
David had taken Wilby for longer walks, aware of the fact that in the book, his trusty companion was already nearing the end of his life.  
Rumpelstiltskin had found himself at Bealfire's grave a few times that week, once he even ran into Kiliian, neither had spoken. It'd been a quiet understanding.  
How was Bea in this other world?  
Belle had found herself spending more time with her father. They'd lost too much time already and he'd always had her best interest at heart, even if he didn't always understand her choices.  
"Thought so," Lilly nodded satisfied.  
"How many more chapters?" David asks his grandson.  
"Two. We're almost there," he stated firmly.  
"Well don't leave us in suspense," David smirked as he gently nudged him out of his seat. He wanted to know if is other-self would consider the bonding moment he'd unknowingly shared with Killian once he hears what happened in present time.  
Rumpelstiltskin and Belle make room for Henry next to Belle.  
"[Back on track...](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21096764/chapters/56952805)"


	40. Thank god it's almost over

**A different story**

_Sunday, December 14th, 2014_

**Thank god it's almost over**

“Oh, thank heavens. I don’t think I can take one more thing going wrong,” Emma sighs in relief.  
“Little me met almost everyone. I’m kind of surprised they didn’t run into your other self Maleficent,” she huffs as she shakes her head.  
Killian chuckles as he pulls his love closer, though his eyes are still a little thoughtful. His other self is clearly opening up again to a happiness that has nothing to do with the crocodile. Would this Killian Jones be content being Emma’s friend? Is that his happy ending?  
He looks down at his wife and knows, that this would be enough for him. To just be there to support her. He returns this attention to the others and sees that David is staring at the book tensely.  
“I’m sure they’ll make up Dave,” he assures his friend.  
The prince looks up in surprise, not aware that he’d been that obvious, and then nods appreciatively to the pirate as he embraces his wife and son.  
“That was quite an ingenious solution to her moral dilemma,” Gold complements Emma.  
“Oh, I’m sure Roland will love it,” Bella sighs in agreement.  
“I hope so, he’s only 11,” Emma frowns. She’d really hate for the young princess to get in a fight with her big brother figure over this. She needs the support of her family right now.  
“I think we can assume that captain guy liner knows what he’s talking about here,” Regina offers. Trying not to think too much about the woman Robin had loved before her.  
“Next one is the last chapter right?” Lilly recalls, feeling the mood going down. Everyone’s worries will probably be addressed in the next bit anyway, so there’s no point in stalling.  
Henry nods. “Well, then let’s go!” she urges.  
Everyone chuckles and as Henry sits down in front of Lilly and Maleficent the story takes off again.  
"[Home…](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21096764/chapters/57336226)”


	41. All's well that ends well

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The adventure is over and our heroes have a new week ahead of them. Captain Swan enjoys a quiet night in... Or as quiet as newlyweds will be when they have the house to themselves again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Mention of a panic attack, triggers and the end is as smutty as I'll get in my stories.

**A different story**

_Sunday, December 14th, 2014_

** All's well that ends well **

Everyone lets out a sigh of relief. Everything had gone as well as they could hope.  
“See?” Killian grinned as he looked towards his friend. “I told you that sooner or later, you’d warm up to me.”  
David chuckled and nodded, happy that this adventure seems to have as happy of an ending as it could get. “You don’t need to be so smug about it,” he teased back.  
“Can’t help it mate. Your other self named your lad after me. How can I not be flattered?”  
Killian was rather pleased with this. It meant that his moment of honesty had truly stuck with the king and it would seem that from now on, he permanently had the trust of the Charmings and their allies. Or, he hoped his other self did. They would have to wait a week to find out if this was truly the case.  
“I’m just glad that my other self didn’t have to miss her voice as long as I did. Those were truly dreadful days,” Zelena sighed dramatically as she recalled her days of forced silence.  
She didn’t blame Regina. Even then she had been more frustrated than mad.  
“I wonder what other secrets your other self extracted from Rumpelstiltskin,” Regina muttered with a frown. Zelena shrugged. “I probably wouldn’t have wasted too much time on interrogating him about anything that doesn’t suit her needs. She might’ve asked him about his Belle, about what he knows of the Charmigns, about you. But other than that? She wouldn’t have cared.”  
That seemed entirely possible. Only time would tell though.  
“Well,” Lilly sighs as she gets up, stretching herself. “I’m all good on storytime today. See ya,” she waved as she and her mother left the room and vanished the second they were one step outside its protective barrier.  
“Lil has the right idea,” Emma sighs as she stretches on the couch and gets up.  
Killian joins her and wraps an arm around her waist as the rest of the company follows their example.  
“I will be seeing all of you later this week. We’ve let things be for now, but we really should start making plans for the future,” Regina states.  
The others nod. With what they truly hope to be the longest hiatus on villainy they’ve had on darkness threatening Storybrooke, they need to find a way to actually establish what their normal is going to be.  
“Looking forward to it,” Killian winked carelessly. He was looking forward to a quiet night in with Emma.  
“Oh, Regina, I was wondering if we could finish up tomorrow afternoon?” Emma asked before her husband could lead her outside.  
“Finish up?” Snow wondered.  
Killian beamed with pride, eager to share the news. “Well, we’re all here so might as well say it now. With Henry and Regina’s permission, I have decided to adopt Henry.”  
Suddenly he was hugged and congratulated by his in-laws. Over Snow’s shoulder, he could see Henry smiling brightly at him. Once he was let go he found Belle had also come to congratulate him. He accepted her embrace and words of praise at this monumental moment in his story. As he did however he saw Rumpelstiltskin had a hard time plastering a smile on his face.  
Once he let go he vaguely heard Zelena make a comment to her sister about how she’s adopting him in a way or something. But he couldn’t focus on that now.  
“I thought it was important to let Henry know that I’ll be there for him. Regardless of what happens in the future, I care for him and that will never change.”  
The dark savior looked up at Killian and nodded in understanding. This wasn’t an attempt at erasing Bae. If anyone could keep Baelfire alive in Henry’s life, it was the two of them. And Killian would see to it that his memory persevered for many generations to follow.  
“We are going to celebrate this,” Snow stated firmly. “Family dinner, Friday at Granny’s.” They all knew better than to argue.  
And with that, they all left the mansion. Killian and Emma hugged Henry goodbye before he loaded his stuff into Regina’s car.  
They waved off Zelena and Emma’s parents before heading home, their hands entangled between them while Emma drove. Once home Emma let herself fall into the couch with a sigh.  
“You alright love?” Killian asked amused at her exhausted face.  
“I don’t know. Just tired,” she complained. Being with her family was never a chore… Or not anymore. Not now she found her place with them and knew who she was.  
But today had drained her somehow.  
“It was an intense adventure… And it must bring back some intense memories for you as well,” he offered helpfully. He too felt the emotions and memories the day had brought had robbed him from the desire to do much other than be home with his wife.  
“Yeah… last night’s nightmare probably didn’t help,” she muttered. Killian sat beside her and pulled her to his chest. Her dream had now included her own memories of the beanstalk and Zelena’s attack on him as well as some snippets of the princess’s traumatic experiences in Oz. She had insisted that she still wanted to continue though. The events from the book, according to Emma, made the dreamless terrifying. Because she knew that she didn’t go through these adventures. So this couldn’t be real. Still, she had woken up and it had taken him a while to calm her down enough before they fell back asleep.  
“Can I ask something weird?” Emma suddenly muttered into his shoulder as she snuggled closer into his embrace. He tightened his grip to offer her the closeness she sought as best he could.  
“Anything,” he vowed.  
A moment of silence passed and he looked down to find Emma hiding her face from him. He had a suspicion which emotion he’d find and so he pulled back and made her sit up and look at him. He was right. She was embarrassed. As lovely as it looked on her, he never wanted it to be there because of him.  
“Love, there is nothing you can ask me that I won’t do. And while I might tease and jest, I would never wish to make you uncomfortable with expressing what you need from me.”  
She smiled at that, her eyes full of love and wonder. That look that meant she was once again surprised at feeling happy.  
“Would you sing for me tonight?” she asked. And while he now understood why she might feel a bit silly for wishing this of him. He is deeply moved by the request.  
“I would love to… How about first I teach you the words?” Emma nodded, her eyes alight with eagerness. They might be married but that didn’t mean that they didn’t still have things to discover about one another, things to learn. And they were both eager students.  
The things he’d learned on the academy. The things she’d had to teach herself. Little bad habits that will undoubtedly drive them both up the wall at times, but would be missed as much as any other part of them if they were to be separated for any amount of time.  
Childhood mischief, teenage rebellions… All parts of the person who made them whole.  
“It’s a rather sad song,” he warned. “About a woman who loves a man her family considers beneath her, but she has faith that she can convince them to bless their marriage. Sadly she is wrong. She does return to her lover though, as a ghost and promises that one day, they shall reunite and be wed anyway.”  
Emma looked contemplative. “A bit like us. Only we both managed to convince our families.”  
Killian smiled. “Yes,” he agreed. And then he cited the phrases to her and had her cite them back to him until she could recite the whole song by herself.  
“It’s really sad,” she agreed. “But also hopeful. In a slightly morbid way,” she added.  
Killian nodded. “Aye, it is. But so is every story in this town in its own way I suppose,” he offered.  
Emma hummed in agreement and then looked up at him. “We should get dinner started. After all that Starwars, I want to show you something else I think you might like,” she told him with a mysterious glint in her eyes. Kilian chuckled and gestured for her to take the lead.  
Dinner was spent discussing ideas they could bring up during the council meeting later that week.  
When they settled into the couch Emma curled up against Kilian on the couch with a glass of wine and a content smile.  
“What’s this movie called again, love?” he wonders casually.  
“The princess bride,” she tells him as she presses play on the remote.  
Killian found himself quite enjoying the storytelling format this movie used.  
He grinned when the narrator spoke of Wesley’s unwavering answer to his Buttercup’s every request. Before the movie told him, he knew what the man meant. And he recalled when he spoke those words to Emma so long ago. That day when his heart had soared and basically screamed at him to understand what it had been trying to say since he met the feisty blonde.  
True love indeed. He felt for Buttercup’s heartbreak and as he recalled Abigail recounting her experience with the loss of hope, he couldn’t fault Buttercup for accepting an offer she could quiet simply not refuse.  
The lad who the story was read to was a cheeky one and he quite enjoyed his input. The kidnappers were quite the comedic trio. And while he immediately hated the leader, he couldn’t help but sympathize with his underlings.  
He and Emma laughed at the bantering and the ‘slapstick’, as Henry had informed him it was called.  
He appreciated the princess’s fire and willingness to fight. He admired the man in black’s banter and confidence. And then the reveal he’d guessed as soon as the pirate was introduced happened.  
He felt like the princess probably would have done a bit more to protect her love, but he let it slide.  
From the moment he saw him, Killian knew that the king was trouble. And he was proven right.  
He kissed Emma’s hair as Wesley was tortured. There was no doubt in his mind that the way her hand tightened its grip on his shirt was more due to the memories of the underworld than because of the movie. It was admittedly not his favorite thing in the world either. But while the cricket had told them about triggers and the like, after everything they’d been trough they had made the argument that they didn’t think they could leave the house without risking to run into one of those. The whole town was full of traumatic events, their own house was the stage of much of the dark Swan’s reign. What made Hopper good at his job, was that he actually listened to those concerns and now they had a number of a work phone he would always have on him and always pick up. That way, if they encountered a trigger they couldn’t work through with just the two of them, they could always contact him for support. They’d only called it once. Killian had a particularly bad nightmare and had gotten up for some water. He had returned to find Emma gone. Any other day and he would have worked out that she had woken up too and left to use the bathroom or something of the like. But after dreaming of holding her limp body in his arms in the dark streets of their town, surrounded by her mourning family as her blood-soaked his clothes… He is still not sure what had happened but Emma and Archie were leaning over him when he came back to his senses and their room had looked a mess. Henry was standing in the door, looking relieved and scared all at once. Emma had fixed everything and assured him that he never hurt her. Once Henry had been explained what had happened he’d been understanding and supportive. He hadn’t been convinced he hadn’t turned the lad away from him due to this episode. Not until he heard Henry say that he was alright with Killian adopting him.  
The movie seemed to do it’s best to make up for any dark atmosphere by making every situation as funny as it could be.  
And it worked. They were snickering through every scene. And soon they watched the heroes ride off into the sunset and the lovers share true loves kiss.”  
“I think we’ve since outdone them, love,” Killian chuckles as the narrator bragged about how amazing this kiss was compared to all the others.  
“You’re probably right,” she smiled as she stretched herself.  
“Best be off to bed now though. Early morning,” she reminded him.  
Kilian looked at the clock and grinned back at his wife. “Not that early,” he drawled as he got up and pulled her close. “Oh?” she replied casually as he placed a kiss on her neck.  
“I’d say we still have quite some time before we have to turn in for the night,” he informed her.  
“Well… I suppose.” Emma struggles to keep her voice even and casual. But she manages somehow.  
“And we haven’t been truly alone like this since we said our I do’s,” he pointed out as he undid the buttons of her blouse and trailed his nose up to just underneath her ear where he planted another kiss. Emma pretended not to notice, but at the same time trailed her hands down his chest and helped him undo his shirt.  
“We had Saturday,” she argues.  
“Which was largely claimed by the discovery of the book and getting back on top of chores…”  
“I remember quite the pleasant morning though,” she grinned playfully.  
“Aye, so do I. But still I can’t help but feel like I have been neglecting my duties as your husband,” he growled against her ear before dropping her blouse to the ground and trailing his hand over her skin. He used his prosthetic to pull her against him, finally catching her off-guard and making her gasp.  
“Well, if that is the case then I have been overlooking my duties as your wife as well,” she whispers hungrily. Killian can’t stand it another moment and pushes her down on their couch.  
“I forgive you,” he manages before all coherent thought goes out of the window.

**Author's Note:**

> The story they'll be reading can be found in a separate fiction called 'princess Emma' for which I'll try to post every Saturday while this one will have posts every Sunday going forward. You can chose to only read Princess Emma and ignore this one entirely as there won't be a lot of plot drive chapters. Though I am planning on writing a new adventure for our cast that will be a continuation to the plot driven chapters in this fic. The chapters won't be too long for the most part though.  
Just check it out and decide for yourself.  
Enjoy!


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